Risk Feeding, Informed Consent & Prandial Aspiration with Dr Shaun O'Keeffe

<p>The guidelines say to manage risk. But what if the guidelines are the problem? In this episode of Dysphagia Research Bites, Dr Shaun O&#39;Keeffe and I unpack his critique of the Royal College of Physicians&#39; guidance on eating and drinking difficulties, and we ask the question that too few clinicians are asking: is our fear of aspiration actually driving good practice, or just driving restriction?</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this episode we cover:</strong></p><ul><li>The difference between aspiration and aspiration pneumonia, and why conflating them causes harm</li><li>Why dietary modifications and thickened fluids are not evidence-based strategies for preventing pneumonia</li><li>The BOLUS Framework and why Shaun takes issue with how it frames risk</li><li>Why &quot;unsafe swallow&quot; is a term that needs to go</li><li>The evidence, or lack of it, behind nil by mouth orders for dysphagic patients</li><li>Informed consent, patient choice, and why quality of life has to be part of the conversation</li><li>Why the profession is at a crossroads between risk-averse practice and evidence-based care</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>The article this episode is based on:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>O&#39;Keeffe, Shaun &amp; Murray, Aoife &amp; Leslie, Paula &amp; Collins, Lindsey &amp; Lazenby-Paterson, Tracy &amp; Mccurtin, Arlene &amp; Mulkerrin, Siofra &amp; Smith, Alison. (2021). Aspiration, risk and risk feeding: A critique of the royal college of physicians guidance on care of people with eating and drinking difficulties. Advances in Communication and Swallowing. 1-10. 10.3233/ACS-210031. </p><p><br></p><p>For <strong>clinical resources and evidence-based dysphagia education</strong> beyond the podcast, head to: www.dysphagiabites.com</p>