The nurse plans care for four patients and assigns patient feeding to nursing assistive personnel (NAP). Which patient should the nurse watch during mealtime?

Question

a. The patient who refuses most of the meals served
b. The patient who is learning to use adaptive utensils
c. The patient who swallows four times for each piece of food
d. The patient who is taking ice chips on the first postoperative day

Answer 1

C
The patient who swallows four times for each piece of food exhibits signs of dysphagia and is at high risk for aspiration. Until the nurse assesses the patient for dysphagia, consults with other members of the healthcare team, and collaborates on a plan of care, he or she must assume re-sponsibility for the patient's aspiration precautions. The nurse instructs the NAP to observe for choking and coughing after mealtime is over. The NAP may be instructed to assist the patient who refuses most meals by encouraging the patient, avoiding coercion to get the patient to eat, and reporting the amount of food eaten by the patient. With training and instruction, the NAP would also be able to assist the patient learning how to use adaptive utensils. The NAP is able to assist the postoperative patient with ice chips.