A nurse is planning care for a client who has dysphagia and has a new dietary prescription. Which of the following should the nurse include in the plan of care? Select all that apply

Clients with dysphagia are at high risk for aspiration, malnutrition, and pneumonia, so interventions must focus on safety and effective swallowing. Having suction equipment available ensures quick response if choking or aspiration occurs. Thickened liquids move more slowly and are easier to control, reducing the risk of aspiration. Placing food on the unaffected side maximizes chewing ability, while teaching the client to swallow with the neck flexed (chin-tuck technique) helps protect the airway. These strategies support both safety and independence during meals.

Rationale for correct answers:
1. Have suction equipment available for use. Clients with dysphagia may aspirate food or liquids despite careful precautions. Having suction readily available ensures the nurse can promptly clear the airway if obstruction occurs. This intervention is a critical safety measure and should always be part of dysphagia care.

2. Use thickened liquids. Thin liquids are the most difficult consistency to control when swallowing and can easily be aspirated. Thickened liquids travel more slowly and allow better airway protection. They are a standard recommendation for patients with swallowing difficulties.

3. Place food on the client’s unaffected side of her mouth. If the client has unilateral weakness from a stroke or neurological disorder, placing food on the strong side promotes safe chewing and swallowing. This helps the patient control the bolus and reduces the risk of food pocketing on the weak side. It also encourages more effective oral intake.

5. Teach the client to swallow with her neck flexed. The chin-tuck technique helps close off the airway while opening the esophagus, making swallowing safer. Flexing the neck forward reduces aspiration risk by directing food away from the trachea. Teaching this maneuver empowers the client to participate in their care and improves independence.

Rationale for incorrect answer:
4. Assign an assistive personnel to feed the client slowly. Feeding a client with dysphagia requires specialized knowledge and skills to monitor for aspiration and ensure safe techniques are followed. This task is inappropriate to delegate to assistive personnel, as it requires nursing judgment and close observation. Feeding should be performed or supervised by the nurse or a speech-language pathologist.

Take-home points:

• Clients with dysphagia need safety-focused interventions to prevent aspiration.
• Effective strategies include suction readiness, thickened liquids, strong-side feeding, and chin-tuck swallowing.
• Feeding should be managed by trained nursing staff or specialists, not delegated to assistive personnel.

Clients with global aphasia have both receptive (understanding) and expressive (speaking) language impairments, so communication strategies must address both comprehension and expression. Interventions should emphasize clear, simple language, supportive nonverbal cues, and techniques that reduce processing demands. Techniques such as speaking at a slower rate, maintaining direct eye contact, allowing extra time for responses, and providing one-step instructions help the client understand and participate. Approaches that take over the client’s speech or finish statements for them can increase frustration and reduce their sense of autonomy.

Rationale for correct answers:
1. Speak to the client at a slower rate. Speaking more slowly and using short, simple phrases gives the client extra processing time and increases the likelihood that receptive language will be understood. A slower rate also allows the nurse to observe nonverbal cues and confirm comprehension before proceeding. This approach reduces communication breakdowns and frustration for both the client and caregiver.

2. Look directly at the client when speaking. Direct eye contact provides important nonverbal cues and helps focus the client’s attention on the speaker, which supports comprehension. Visual attention can augment limited auditory processing in receptive aphasia and helps the client pick up facial expressions and gestures. Maintaining eye contact also builds rapport and conveys that the nurse is engaged and patient.

3. Allow extra time for the client to answer. Clients with global aphasia often require prolonged time to comprehend questions and formulate responses, so allowing extra time prevents interruption and reduces anxiety. Rushing the client can increase errors, withdrawal, or agitation, and may obscure their true abilities. Patience during response time encourages attempts at communication and helps the nurse accurately assess function.

5. Give instructions one step at a time. One-step commands reduce cognitive load and make it more likely the client will understand and carry out directions safely. Multi-step instructions can overwhelm processing and lead to incomplete or incorrect responses. Providing a single, clear action at a time also allows the nurse to offer immediate feedback and reinforcement.

Rationale for incorrect answer:
4. Complete sentences that the client cannot finish. Finishing the client’s sentences removes their opportunity to attempt expression and undermines autonomy and self-esteem. It also makes it difficult to assess the client’s residual language abilities and progress in therapy. Instead, the nurse should offer supportive cues (gestures, written words, yes/no choices) and allow the client to attempt completion with encouragement.

Take-home points:

• Use slow, simple speech, direct eye contact, and one-step instructions to maximize comprehension and participation.
• Allow extra time for responses and avoid finishing the client’s sentences to preserve autonomy and accurately assess ability.
• Involve speech-language pathology and consider alternative communication aids when needed to support long-term communication.