What is an appropriate food for a patient with a stroke who has mild dysphagia?
Fruit juices
Pureed meat
Scrambled eggs
Fortified milkshakes
The Correct Answer is C
Patients with mild dysphagia require foods that are soft, easily chewed, and cohesive, reducing the risk of aspiration. Scrambled eggs are an excellent choice because they are soft, moist, and can be swallowed with minimal effort. They also provide good nutritional value while being less likely to fragment or cause choking compared to thin liquids or dry foods. Selecting the correct food texture is critical in preventing aspiration and ensuring adequate nutrition.
Rationale for correct answer:
3. Scrambled eggs. These are soft, moist, and easy to manipulate in the mouth, making them safer for patients with mild dysphagia. They hold together well, reducing the risk of food particles entering the airway. Scrambled eggs also provide a high-protein, nutrient-dense option that supports recovery.
Rationale for incorrect answers:
1. Fruit juices. Thin liquids like juice are among the most difficult to swallow for patients with dysphagia. They move too quickly through the oropharynx, increasing the risk of aspiration. Thickened liquids are preferred instead.
2. Pureed meat. While pureed foods are appropriate for moderate to severe dysphagia, they are unnecessarily restrictive for mild dysphagia. They may also be unappealing, leading to poor oral intake and reduced nutrition.
4. Fortified milkshakes. Like fruit juices, milkshakes are thin liquids unless thickened. These can increase aspiration risk in patients with impaired swallowing function. Even though they are nutrient-rich, they are unsafe without consistency modification.
Take-home points:
- Soft, moist, and cohesive foods like scrambled eggs are safest for mild dysphagia.
- Avoid thin liquids (juices, milkshakes) as they pose a high risk of aspiration.
- Dietary adjustments should always be individualized based on swallow assessment and speech-language pathology recommendations.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
After a stroke, patients are at high risk for aspiration due to impaired swallowing function. The first nursing action is to check the gag reflex before offering any food, fluids, or medications orally. Ensuring airway protection is critical, since aspiration can lead to pneumonia and further complications. Early assessment of swallowing safety guides dietary decisions and prevents potentially life-threatening respiratory issues.
Rationale for correct answer:
1. Check the patient’s gag reflex. This assessment provides crucial information about the safety of oral intake and helps prevent aspiration. A weak or absent gag reflex indicates the need for swallowing studies or alternate feeding methods until the patient’s airway protection is assured. Performing this check first ensures patient safety before advancing to diet orders or swallowing trials.
Rationale for incorrect answers:
2. Order a soft diet for the patient. Ordering food before assessing the patient’s gag reflex or swallow ability is unsafe. If the patient aspirates, it may lead to pneumonia or airway obstruction, which worsens outcomes after a stroke.
3. Raise the head of the bed to a sitting position. While this position is helpful in reducing aspiration risk and aiding breathing, it should not be the very first action. Without confirming the gag reflex, even upright positioning cannot fully protect against aspiration during oral intake.
4. Evaluate the patient’s ability to swallow small amounts of crushed ice or ice water. Swallow trials should never be attempted before confirming a gag reflex. Testing swallowing too early may directly expose the patient to aspiration risks.
Take-home points:
- Always assess gag reflex first in stroke patients before offering food, fluids, or medications orally.
- Airway protection takes priority over comfort or nutrition in the immediate phase of care.
- Safe feeding decisions must be guided by swallowing assessments and may involve referral to speech-language pathology.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
In the emergency management of a stroke, the first priority is ensuring airway patency and adequate oxygenation, since the brain is highly sensitive to oxygen deprivation. Without sufficient oxygen delivery, neurologic injury progresses rapidly, worsening deficits and increasing the risk of mortality. While fluid balance, edema control, and neuroprotection are important, they are secondary to immediate respiratory support. Maintaining oxygenation preserves cerebral perfusion and minimizes irreversible ischemic injury.
Rationale for correct answer:
4. Maintenance of respiratory function with a patent airway and oxygen administration. This is the highest priority because brain tissue cannot survive without oxygen, and hypoxemia can worsen neurologic injury within minutes. Supporting the airway and ensuring oxygen delivery prevents secondary brain injury and allows time for diagnostic imaging and definitive treatment. This intervention forms the foundation of acute stroke management.
Rationale for incorrect answers:
1. Intravenous fluid replacement. Although fluids may be required for hemodynamic stability, aggressive replacement is not the first priority. Overhydration can worsen cerebral edema, and fluids should be carefully balanced after airway and breathing are stabilized.
2. Administration of osmotic diuretics to reduce cerebral edema. Osmotic diuretics like mannitol are sometimes used in the management of increased intracranial pressure, but this is not the first-line emergency intervention. Their use comes later, guided by imaging and clinical findings, not before airway stabilization.
3. Initiation of hypothermia to decrease the oxygen needs of the brain. Therapeutic hypothermia is not a standard initial treatment for stroke in the emergency setting. It may be explored in research or specialized contexts, but it does not replace basic airway and oxygen management.
Take-home points:
- Airway and oxygenation are the first priorities in acute stroke management to prevent secondary brain injury.
- Other interventions, such as fluid balance and ICP control, follow only after respiratory stability is established.
- Early stabilization allows for rapid diagnostic imaging and initiation of stroke-specific treatments (e.g., thrombolysis or surgical intervention).
Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.
Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today
Report Wrong Answer on the Current Question
Do you disagree with the answer? If yes, what is your expected answer? Explain.
Kindly be descriptive with the issue you are facing.