Thickened fluids an unnecessary cost making swallowing problems worse?
When a resident is having difficulty swallowing or are observed to be choking, many facilities opt for the “we’ll just put them on thickened fluids” approach.
Overheard in a facility’s nurses station last week:
PERSONAL CARER: “Mr. ***** is coughing a lot when he drinks”
NURSE: “Let’s try him on thickened fluids”
By implementing thickened fluids without a proper swallowing assessment, this is actually placing residents at risk of dehydration and aspiration.
Here is why:
- Thickened fluids may exacerbate some symptoms of dysphagia, impacting safety and reducing quality of life.
- Health care settings are obliged to ensure thickened fluids are provided to the correct consistency. Incorrect consistencies jeopardise hydration and risk the safety of residents, and may increase a facility’s liability.
- Thickened fluids are costly and have a high level of wastage.
New guidelines released by the Australian Government recommend a swallowing assessment by a speech pathologist should be conducted before putting residents on thickened fluids or adjusting fluid consistency.
DID YOU KNOW THAT RN’s/EN’s OVERPRESCRIBE THICKENED FLUIDS BY 30%?
Do you have 10 residents on thickened fluids?
- Having 10 residents on thickened fluids costs approximately $3,300 annually
- Studies show that between 50% and 70% of thickened fluid is wasted
- Between this unnecessary prescription and the wastage this can actually account for about $2,000 of the $3,000 cost!
- Speech pathology assessments reduce the number of residents on thickened fluids by nearly a quarter… saving costs and reducing risk
AND THIS IS JUST FOR 10 RESIDENTS!!
Correct consistency reduces the risk of dehydration and aspiration…
DID YOU KNOW UP TO A THIRD OF RESIDENTS ARE DEHYDRATED?
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HOSPITALISED RESIDENTS WITH DEHYRDATION HAVE A MORTALITY RATE OF 46%.
AGED CARE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN HELD LIABLE FOR DEHYDRATION!!
An assessment by a W&L Speech Pathologist can not only save you money, improve resident dehydration and safety, but can also reduce your liability risk.
