FEES Competency Training Purpose & Objectives

Purpose:

To enable trainees to acquire advanced skills required to perform all aspects of flexible endoscopic evaluations of swallowing independently

Objectives:

After intensive one-week training the trainee will be able to:

  1. Insert the endoscope into the naris with minimal discomfort and achieve a stable position 1 that allows for the initiation of study trials.
  2. Manipulate the endoscope, after each trial, within the hypopharynx to achieve position 2, and return to position 1 for the presentation of the next trial.
  3. Perform SASS’s standardized administration protocol for FEES.
  4. Utilize SASS’s scoring protocol to quantify swallowing behaviors.
  5. Interpret the quantified behaviors in terms of the underlying biomechanics and physiology.
  6. Report findings in a clear and concise report that will be entered into the patient’s medical record.

Reference:

Langmore, S. E., Scarborough, D. R., Kelchner, L. N., Swigert, N. B., Murray, J., Reece, S., Cavanagh, T., Harrigan, L. C., Scheel, R., Gosa, M. M., & Rule, D. K. (2022). Tutorial on Clinical Practice for Use of the Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing Procedure With Adult Populations: Part 1. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(1), 163–187. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_AJSLP-20-00348