Following review of the evidence the team developed a Local Action Plan to improve their performance in meeting this standard. (See the Improving patient care topic loop below for further information.)
Action Plan
Reporting document for patients with stroke having swallow screen within 4 hours of admission to hospital. (National Standard = 100%)
| 2021 data | Feb 2022 | March 2022 | Barriers | Agreed Actions | Timescale/Lead person |
| 60% | 42% | 40% | Poor recognition/diagnosis of stroke in the emergency department, and general lack of awareness of the need to swallow screen all confirmed or suspected stroke patients regardless of severity. | Twice daily visits to A&E/ medical receiving to ensure swallow screening is performed and documented in the afternoon and late evening. | Stroke Senior Charge Nurses – ongoing |
| Poor documentation of swallow screen assessment; including lack of understanding of how to record swallow screen status of an unconscious patient.
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Monitoring of training and education of all staff involved in swallow screening e.g. core competency course and onsite training sessions by Speech & Language Therapy to emergency care and stroke unit staff. | Stroke Senior Charge Nurses – ongoing
Stroke Senior Charge Nurse – ongoing SLT – ongoing |
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| Poor documentation of swallow screen assessment; including lack of understanding of how to record swallow screen status of a unconscious patient.
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Ensure all day and night nursing staff are swallow screen trained. | Senior Charge Nurse – ongoing | |||
| Reinforcing the need for the nurse to clearly document whether a patient is safe or unsafe to swallow; and where the patient is unconscious document that this status makes them unsafe to swallow.
Use of sticker to highlight outcome of swallow screen. |
Senior Charge Nurse – ongoing |
Topic Loop:
Page last reviewed: 11 Aug 2022
