Nursing in critical care
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Nursing in critical care · Jul 2009
Communication, swallowing and feeding in the intensive care unit patient.
It is not uncommon for patients requiring a period of time in the intensive care unit (ICU) to experience difficulties with communication and/or swallowing, either as a result of their illness or as a result of the treatments they receive. These difficulties can be both short term and long term and require timely and appropriate intervention in order to improve the patient's experience and expedite recovery/rehabilitation. ⋯ There is still much more research to be performed and evidence to be gained regarding the input into communication, swallowing and feeding in the ICU; however, a full-team approach to these areas can have very positive effects on the patient's experience.