SLP 544 Medical Midterm Study Guide

Scope of Medical SLP

Prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of speech, language, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders resulting from medical conditions.

Types of Rounds

Different formats for discussing patient care among healthcare professionals, including Interdisciplinary Rounds, Grand Rounds, Team Rounds, Family Conferences, and Bedside Rounds.

Interdisciplinary Rounds

Multiple healthcare professionals (e.g., MD, RN, PT, OT, SLP) discuss patient care plans.

Grand Rounds

Educational discussions centered on complex or notable patient cases, often for training.

Team Rounds

Daily or weekly check-ins within a department or unit.

Family Conferences

Include patient/family to review progress and discharge planning.

Bedside Rounds

Directly involve the patient in their care discussion.

Electronic Healthcare Records

A digital version of a patient's medical chart used for documentation, billing, and communication between providers.

Key functions of Electronic Healthcare Records

Access to patient history, test results, and treatment notes, Improved coordination among providers, Legal documentation of care provided, HIPAA compliance for privacy and security.

Using abbreviations in healthcare documentation

Guidelines for using approved abbreviations and avoiding 'Do Not Use' abbreviations to prevent medical errors and ensure clarity.

Verbal handoff communication

Oral transfer of patient information during shift changes, transfers, or discharge.

Standard Framework for handoff communication

SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation).

Best Practices for handoff communication

Be concise, use structured communication, confirm understanding, and include key clinical updates.

Monitoring patients

Involves tracking vital signs, alertness, fatigue, pain, and respiratory effort.

Vital Signs

Monitor temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation.

SLP Relevance in Monitoring

Recognize instability during therapy (e.g., desaturation during feeding).

Safety in Monitoring

Collaborate with nursing and medical staff for changes in status.

Standardized Cognitive Screening Exams

Quickly assess cognitive function to identify impairments.

MoCA

Montreal Cognitive Assessment

SLUMS

Saint Louis University Mental Status

MMSE

Mini-Mental State Examination

CLQT+

Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test

Alzheimer's Disease

Progressive, memory-dominant cognitive decline.

Vascular Dementia

Stepwise decline due to cerebrovascular disease.

Lewy Body Dementia

Visual hallucinations, fluctuating cognition, Parkinson-like motor symptoms.

Frontotemporal Dementia

Early personality and language changes.

Mixed Dementia

Features of multiple dementia types.

NG Tube

Nasogastric: Short-term feeding through the nose.

PEG Tube

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy: Long-term direct stomach feeding.

Jejunostomy Tube

For patients with gastric issues.

Parenteral Nutrition

IV nutrition for nonfunctional GI tract.

IDDSI

Global framework for texture-modified foods and thickened liquids.

IDDSI Levels

0-4: Liquids (Thin → Extremely Thick), 3-7: Foods (Liquidised → Regular)

Developmental Biology

Embryologic development of structures involved in speech, language, and swallowing.

Delirium

Acute, reversible confusion due to medical illness, infection, or medication.

Signs of Delirium

Rapid onset, fluctuating alertness, disorganized thinking, hallucinations.

MBS

Dynamic X-ray assessment of swallowing function.

Penetration

Material enters laryngeal vestibule but not below vocal folds.

Aspiration

Material passes below vocal folds into airway.

Residue

Material remaining after the swallow.

Bolus

Food or liquid prepared for swallowing.

MRI

Magnetic fields & radio waves imaging best for soft tissues, brain, nerves.

CT Scan

X-rays imaging best for bone, hemorrhage, acute injury.