Exploring multidisciplinary team members' experiences of supporting eating and drinking with acknowledged risk in healthcare and aged care settings.

Abstract

Purpose: Dysphagia is a swallowing condition which has significant health and quality of life implications. Speech-language pathologists provide assessment and support shared decision making to optimise swallowing safety. Many people elect to eat and drink with acknowledged risk. This study aimed to explore multidisciplinary team members' perceptions and experiences supporting eating and drinking at acknowledged risk decision-making and practice, and to determine resources needed to support teams in this area.

Method: Semi-structured focus groups and one interview were facilitated with multidisciplinary team members (N = 32) from across the continuum of care at a regional health service to explore perceptions and experiences in supporting eating and drinking at acknowledged risk and identify needs to implement best practice.

Result: Four themes were constructed from the data highlighting the complexity and cyclical nature of supporting eating and drinking at acknowledged risk decision-making and practice. Themes included dynamic shared decision-making, communicating effectively to support and inform eating and drinking at acknowledged risk decision-making, enabling eating and drinking at acknowledged risk in practice, and risks and implications for clinicians and staff.

Conclusion: Best practice eating and drinking at acknowledged risk decision-making and implementation in healthcare and aged care settings is complex. Effective communication and appropriate support for staff working in this area is crucial, given the clinical, ethical, and moral implications that arise when supporting people who elect to eat and drink at acknowledged risk.