Speech-language pathologists' roles and knowledge levels related to non-oral feeding

Speech-language pathologists make important recommendations regarding the safety of individuals' swallowing skills. When oral feeding is determined to be unsafe, non-oral feeding is often implemented. This intervention has both risks and benefits. The purpose of this study was to describe the roles and knowledge levels of speech-language pathologists in medical settings regarding dysphagia and non-oral feeding. A questionnaire was mailed to a randomized, stratified sample of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes across the nation. The questionnaire was returned by 138 speech-language pathologists. Data were gathered related to demographic, educational, employment, and knowledge variables. Discriminant analysis indicated that differing knowledge levels existed among SLPs regarding non-oral feeding, and these differences were accounted for by the respondents' specific work experiences in medical settings. No single variable such as educational background or graduation date accounted for the differences among professionals. SLPs demonstrated lower knowledge levels about the risks and benefits of non-oral feeding, operational aspects of PEG feeding tubes, and aspiration risks with non-oral feeding. Additionally, there was not uniformity among SLPs in the specific criteria they used to determine that oral feeding was unsafe. These results suggest areas for future research, such as the types of graduate training that would be beneficial for students entering the field. The results also indicate that non-oral feeding is an area of continuing education need for currently practicing SLPs.