Vancouver, BC, CAN - Basic FEES: Instrumental Dysphagia Assessment - June 6-7, 2025 (PRIVATE TRAINING)

Presented by:

SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, Nashville, Tennessee

Hosted by:

PENTAX Medical Canada

Intended Audience Only: Privately Hosted with invitation only.

Speech-Language Pathologists with earned Master’s degree or above who are working in the medical community and invited by PENTAX Medical Canada to attend. Registration by non-SLP professionals is not permitted.

Private Course Dates:

6-7 June 2025

Registration Closes:

May 29, 2025

Course Location:

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center, 1000 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Purpose:

To provide a two-day training course for Speech-Language Pathologists in the use of transnasal endoscopy to assess pharyngeal dysphagia using a standard FEES assessment protocol, and scoring and analysis procedures.

Objectives: 

At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• describe and demonstrate safe and efficient manual dexterity skills necessary to insert and manipulate a nasoendoscope to assess the oropharynx, larynx and hypopharynx before, during, and after each swallowing event;

• describe and apply the elements comprising the standard FEES administration protocol when assessing oropharyngeal dysphagia;

• analyze and explain normal and abnormal swallowing events using correct anatomical terms and predetermined scoring scales for airway protection and pharyngeal peristalsis;

• describe and apply predetermined and industry-standard steps and precautions when disinfecting or sterilizing endoscopic equipment after use; and

• identify and describe patient-related risks and contraindications for administering the FEES procedure.

Local Contact:

Sven Claes, Assoc. Director of Marketing, PENTAX Medical (claes@oentaxmedical.com)

Course Information & Special Needs Contact:

John R. Ashford, Ph.D., (John.r.ashford6703@sasspllc.com)

Faculty & Disclosures: 

Christina Everett, M.S., CCC-SLP: Contract associate with SA Swallowing Services. She has practiced primarily in hospitals and nursing facilities. Her specialty areas are swallowing, speech, language, and cognitive disorders. She has been with SASS since 2020 and is licensed and certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy in Tennessee.

Disclosures: Financial: Contract Associate with SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, paid course instructor; Non-financial: None.

Michelle Skelley, M.Ed., CCC-SLP: Co-Owner and President of SA Swallowing Services, PLLC. She has worked for over 30 years as an SLP in medical facilities. She is licensed and certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy in Tennessee.

Disclosures: Financial: Co-Owner of SA Swallowing Services; Paid course instructor; Non-financial: None.

John R. Ashford, Ph.D., CCC-SLP: Co-Owner and Education Director of SA Swallowing Services. He has worked for over 50 years in the SLP profession as a medical SLP and university professor. He is certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy in Tennessee.

Disclosures: Financial: Co-Owner of SA Swallowing Services; Paid course instructor; Non-financial: None.

Matthew Ward, Ph.D., CCC-SLP: Contract associate with SA Swallowing Services, Clinical Education Director, and researcher. He has practiced primarily in hospitals and nursing facilities. His specialty areas are swallowing, speech, language, and cognitive disorders.  He has been with SASS since 2016 and is licensed and certified as a provider and instructor of swallowing endoscopy in Tennessee.

Disclosures: Financial: Contract Associate with SA Swallowing Services, PLLC, paid course instructor; Non-financial: None.

Other Disclosures:

PENTAX Medical is providing funding tuition for invited participants and providing conference space.

Course Agenda:

Day One: 8:00 to 5:00

• Introduction & Purposes of FEES (20m)

• Surface Anatomy (30m)

• Surface Anatomy Exercise (20m)

• Underlying Anatomy &Physiology of Swallowing (50m)

• Medical Issues & Nasoendoscopy (20 min)

• Nasoendoscopic & FEES Equipment (20m)

• Infection Control Requirements & Procedures (20m)

• Endoscope Insertion & Handling (40 min)

• Endoscopy Lab: Hands-on, supervised Nasoendoscopy/FEES Training, and

• FEES Analysis Lab: Identifying & Defining Swallowing Consequences: Introduction to FEES Observations & Computer Analysis Practice Labs (250m)

Day Two: 8:00 to 4:10

• FEES Protocols & Procedures (45m)

• Scoring FEES Using Rating Scales (80m)

• Analyzing Swallow & Airway Protection Behaviors (50m)

• FEES: Behavioral Intervention & EBP (60m)

• FEES Demonstration/Duel Scope Video (20m)

• Endoscopy Lab: Hands-on, supervised Nasoendoscopy/FEES Training, and

• FEES Analysis Lab: FEES Observations and Scoring (195m)

Satisfactory Training Completion Requirements:

• Attend all training lectures during the two-day training.

• Complete an anatomy quiz (passing score not required)

• Complete in-lecture learning exercises.

• Complete the 15-step FEES Protocol & Procedures Laboratory, and complete a procedural self-assessment after each.

• Attend FEES Analysis and Interpretation Laboratories & complete learning exercises.

• Submit a post-training course self-evaluation of learned skills & course-obtained knowledge

Hotel Accommodations:

Please contact Sven Claes regarding hotel accommodations.

Course Registration and Tuition:

Please contact Sven Claes regarding registration.

Continuing Education Credit:

1.60 CEUs registered with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for Canadian member associates.