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$79.00 USD

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0.4  ASHA CEUs

Prehabilitative Swallowing Intervention In Head & Neck Cancer #e294


Presenter: Paula Sullivan, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Comprehensive approach to proactive dysphagia evaluation and intervention in the Head & Neck Cancer population.


"Thorough and complete review in head & neck cancer evaluation and treatment. Very useful for daily practice. Excellent information that patients can directly use and the case studies were helpful."

– R.C., prior course participant

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Organ preservation treatment (radiation therapy chemotherapy) is the most common initial treatment for individuals with advanced head and neck cancer. Although individuals are living longer with improved cure rates, they are experiencing increased short and long term side effects, the most significant of which is dysphagia.

It is being recognized that quality of life and functional outcomes can be optimized when the patient is engaged in a prehabilitative or proactive rather than a reactive intervention program led by the speech-language pathologist in concert with the multidisciplinary team.

This course will provide a comprehensive approach to proactive dysphagia evaluation and intervention designed to optimize outcomes. Additionally, creative service delivery methods to facilitate patient adherence and close follow-up will be discussed.

Course is offered for 0.4 ASHA CEUs - 4 contact hours.

Course Overview & Run Time

Course Overview – Run Time: 4:00:57

  1. Introduction to Head & Neck Cancer, HNC treatment modalities.
  2. Radiation treatment (RT) side effects (with focus on dysphagia), acute, chronic and late treatment effects, support for dysphagia intervention, principles of nutrition, and supportive care.
  3. Functional assessment tools (PROS, oral intake scales, QoL, clinical scales) and population specific instrumental assessment measures.
  4. The feeding tube controversy.
  5. The multidisciplinary team – all about intervention.
  6. Case studies.
  7. New directions in HNC intervention.
  8. Conclusions.

"So glad I took this course. Specific assessments and templates were beneficial. Paula was super generous. I could clearly see her workflow. Really appreciate her."

– A.C., prior course participant

Read more comments about this course!

Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Head and Neck Cancer - Speech Pathology Training

Larynx before & after radiation treatment.

Content Disclosures

The content of this online CE course does not focus exclusively on any specific proprietary product or service. Presenter financial and non-financial disclosures may be found in the Presenter & Disclosures area.

Course Format

Video PowerPoint presentation with author narration & downloadable handout. Stop and re-start the course at any point. Learners retain access to course content after completion for ongoing reference and review.

Reviews

Comments From Prior Course Participants

"The scales are helpful." M.S. (Nov. 2024)

"Various outcome measures for HNC, guidelines for eating through radiation, and research supporting prehabilitative intervention for swallowing in HNC were all beneficial topics. This course gave clear information that I can apply to patients immediately and guidelines to help with the development of a prehab program at my hospital." E.T. (Oct. 2024)

"It was helpful to discuss the various types of prehab and post-radiation timeline. This course covered a range of related topics." L.H. (Oct. 2024)

"Predictive outcomes based on radiation intensity. Practical guidelines for establishing a prehabilitative HNC program. I liked the ease of access for course materials, video is easy to hear, and follow along." L.D. (Oct. 2024)

"Rad tx side effects were helpful to discuss." S.B. (Oct. 2024)

"Practical case studies and references to clinical practice. Clear, good pace, and up-to-date references. Module layout flowed well, a well thought out presentation by a very skilled and passionate therapist." V.G. (Sep. 2024)

"It was beneficial discussing a criteria for PEG removal, handout for PO intake during CRT." P.M. (Sep. 2024)

"Loved everything about this course! It was so thorough! Definitely loved the functional outcome measures. Great examples! Clear, concise manner of presentation and all of the tips and tricks with research to back up all." B.R. (Aug. 2024)

"I really enjoyed all of the material. The pictures are helpful and I liked hearing the percentages about nutrition, carryover of exercise. Truly, all of it!" H.K. (Aug. 2024)

"Beneficial refreshers of basic chemo/rad information - it's been a while since I last reviewed it. I liked the quick pace." S.C. (Jul. 2024)

"Pre-treatment assessment/treatment will help with the few cases of HNC that my facility receives. The information was straightforward and clear." R.C. (Jul. 2024)

"Treatments and patient/caregiver education on benefits of treatments prior to and following surgery. This course applies to my current population as well as populations I hope to serve in the future." D.L. (Jul. 2024)

"So glad I took this course. Specific assessments and templates were beneficial. Paula was super generous. I could clearly see her workflow. Really appreciate her." A.C. (Jul. 2024)

"All of the information was beneficial. I enjoyed learning specifically how to assess and treat HNC patients." A.G. (Jun. 2024)

"I really enjoyed the case studies, and her real-life examples." C.S. (Jun. 2024)

"Evidence-based studies to support therapy choices." L.M. (Jun. 2024)

"The comprehensive nature of the course was helpful. I liked that it included case studies." A.C. (Jun. 2024)

"Assessment and treatment were beneficial. I enjoyed the handout, the presenter's pace, and the presentation style." T.H. (Apr. 2024)

"The preventative exercises were helpful. The course covered relevant areas." M.I. (Apr. 2024)

"New directions in treatment was beneficial. I enjoyed the evidence based research." D.S. (Apr. 2024)

"Treatment protocol for introducing different foods based on current levels, "The Plan". Good case studies." B.S. (Apr. 2024)

"Scales to diagnose certain aspects of swallowing disorders in head and neck cancer patients were beneficial. The course was easy to understand." C.G. (Mar. 2024)

"I enjoyed the information for basics of HNC, enjoyed learning assessments for pre and post treatment, and enjoyed the intervention techniques." K.B. (Mar. 2024)

"The case studies were particularly helpful. I liked that this course can be completed in several stages over a period of time." E.N. (Mar. 2024)

"The prehabilitation program was beneficial." J.A. (Feb. 2024)

"I liked the information on chemo and radiation. This is something that I was never taught. The course was very easy to understand and follow despite the advanced topic." J.F. (Feb. 2024)

"The therapeutic techniques were beneficial. I liked that the sections were broken up for easy listening." K.M. (Jan. 2024)

"It was beneficial discussing direct SLP treatment options for patients before, during, and after treatment. I liked the ability to start/stop when able and being able to print slides ahead of the presentation." E.S. (Jan. 2024)

"Discussing the timing of treatment was helpful. I liked the CEUs for this course." C.P. (Jan. 2024)

"The evidence-based case studies to suggest which kind of pre- or post-rehabilitation exercises are useful." C.C. (Jan. 2024)

"Great presentation! ALL the INFO was great. My aunt was recently diagnosed with cancer in her tonsils and possible lymph nodes, so I wanted to learn more information and refresh my previous knowledge as I currently work with Peds." M.C. (Dec. 2023)

"Multidisciplinary Team formation, tube feeding considerations, and treatment approaches were beneficial topics. I liked the case studies and detailed slides." A.O. (Dec. 2023)

"The exercises and research were helpful. The presenter was organized, knowledgeable, succinct for allotted time, and easy to listen to. Practical information to readily utilize." M.S. (Dec. 2023)

"Beneficial discussion of increasing PO intake as safe as possible during treatment. I liked the MBSS examples and FEES examples." M.H. (Dec. 2023)

"The treatment targets for HNC were helpful. I liked the shorter modules." A.S. (Dec. 2023)

"Treatment for HNC patients and how SLPs can help assess with specific objectives measured during MBSS. I liked the online PowerPoint available to follow along." S.R. (Dec. 2023)

"All of this content was helpful. I work in acute care hospitalization, so this is very useful information for objective assessment tools as well as treatment suggestions. Thank you." A.H. (Dec. 2023)

"I currently work in acute care, and we have been advocating for SLP services in the outpatient cancer clinic. I hope the messaging and the literature from this presentation will support that cause. Paula was a great speaker and clearly had a wealth of experience to share." L.E. (Nov. 2023)

"The speaker was very thorough and presented the information in a way that was easy to digest and follow. The "lose it and improve it" mantra will be helpful in my daily practice." L.B. (Nov. 2023)

"I've taken courses on proactive tx for HNC patients before, as well as have been treating HNC proactively for a few years. This was the best, most inclusive course I've ever taken. Kudos to Paula." L.M. (Nov. 2023)

"Very practical information on evaluation and swallow exercises. Many topics were extremely informative, including dosage of RT, side effects of RT, and weaning from tube feedings." R.J. (Nov. 2023)

"Course was very comprehensive with a lot of relevant information for speech pathologists. Many facts were presented in this course that I was not aware of, including possible long-term and even lifetime effects of dysphagia and other effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy." C.J. (Nov. 2023)

"The treatment section was helpful. The course was well organized and to the point." A.M. (Oct. 2023)

"Learning how to approach proactive treatment." D.B. (Oct. 2023)

"This course was very comprehensive, and the presenter was very knowledgeable. I liked the specific information about staging and the extensive information about the available assessment tools." K.D. (Oct. 2023)

"The prehab swallowing exercises were helpful. I liked the course handouts." D.J. (Oct. 2023)

"I liked the review of efficacy studies of various therapeutic interventions for working with HNC population. The case studies presented were excellent and very helpful for interacting with hospital teams." A.H. (Oct. 2023)

"Staging knowledge, intervention and coding were beneficial topics." R.G. (Sep. 2023)

"Treatment for head and neck cancer. And it was helpful to discuss the principles of nutrition and supportive care." M.S. (Sep. 2023)

"Diagnosis, cancer and treatment effects on swallowing. I liked the flexibility in completing this course." A.R. (Sep. 2023)

"I liked the depth of content in this presentation. The presenter was easy to follow and very informative. The timeline of inclusion of patients in therapy and therapy exercises included in habitation was helpful." P.S. (Sep. 2023)

"Course was thorough, speaker was knowledgeable. Types of treatment intervention were beneficial." S.C. (Sep. 2023)

"The pre/post intervention guidelines, current research, and best practices were beneficial discussions." R.H. (Aug. 2023)

"I liked the discussion of recent studies regarding the effectiveness of prehabilitation." L.N. (Aug. 2023)

"I liked the treatment techniques/programs. Case studies were beneficial." N.G. (Aug. 2023)

"Thorough and complete review in head & neck cancer evaluation and treatment. Very useful for daily practice. Excellent information that patients can directly use and the case studies were helpful." R.C. (Aug. 2023)

"Thorough course. I liked the statistics, overview, and rehab outline from other facilities." L.R. (Jul. 2023)

"I found this entire course helpful as I have not had much training with dysphagia and SLP treatment as it pertains to head and neck cancer. It was a very good overview of head and neck cancer and how a SLP can help individuals in treatment." M.D. (Jul. 2023)

"Great information & content. Excellent presenter. Helpful slides. Self-paced. I appreciate some of the supportive information regarding subclinical dysphagia. I had not heard of this term before. I feel reassured that much of what I am already doing was recommended in this course." K.F. (Jul. 2023)

"All very helpful content." C.L. (Jul. 2023)

"Excellent course. Easy to digest format." D.M. (May 2023)

Course Objectives

At course conclusion, participants will be able to:
  1. Describe the shift in epidemiology of head and neck cancer (HNC) and basic tenets of HNC staging and treatment planning.
  2. Describe the causes of short and long-term dysphagia secondary to RT (radiation therapy) and C-RT (chemo-radiation treatment).
  3. Summarize baseline dysphagia assessment tools for HNC.
  4. Describe current support for dysphagia intervention in HNC.
  5. List the evidence for and components of prehabilitative or proactive swallowing intervention.

Presenter & Disclosures

Paula A. Sullivan, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Paula A. Sullivan, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, currently is a Senior Speech-Language Pathologist in the Department of Neurology/Speech Section, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System in Gainesville, FL. Paula's clinical expertise and research are focused on swallowing disorders in head and neck cancer and at end-of-life. She has been affiliated with numerous comprehensive cancer centers, including H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, Sylvester Cancer Center, Miami, FL, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Paula also has participated as part of numerous clinical research trials in swallowing.

Paula served as a co-regional primary investigator for the largest controlled, randomized research trial in oropharyngeal dysphagia funded by the National Institutes of Health (Protocol 201). Protocol 201 examined the effectiveness of chin down and thickened liquids in individuals with dementia and Parkinson's disease both with and without dementia. Additionally, Paula has published numerous articles, book chapters, and co-authored books, including Swallowing Intervention in Oncology and the Easy-To-Swallow, Easy-To-Chew Cookbook. She also has co-authored multiple national guidelines, directives, and policies relating to oropharyngeal swallowing disorders for both the Veterans Health Administration and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She is a board recognized specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. Paula is an ASHA Fellow and former coordinator of ASHA's Division 13, Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. She was named "2013 Clinician of the Year" by the Association of Veterans Affairs Speech-Language Pathologists. 

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial — Paula Sullivan is a coauthor of the text, "Easy-To-Swallow; Easy-To-Chew Cookbook"; receives royalty payments.

Financial — Paula Sullivan is a presenter of online CE courses sponsored by Northern Speech Services; receives royalties.

Nonfinancial — Paula Sullivan has no relevant nonfinancial relationships to disclose.

Intended Audience / Accreditation

Intended Audience/Accreditation
asha ce approved provider

This program is offered for 0.4 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

Intended Audience

  • Speech-Language Pathologists

ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.

ASHA CE Registry: During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:

  • Current ASHA Member
  • ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) Holder
  • Licensed by a state or provincial regulatory agency to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology
  • Credentialed by a state regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Credentialed by a national regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
  • Engaged in a Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of an individual with their ASHA CCC
  • Currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program in SLP or audiology

If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.

Licensing Boards: Most state licensing boards DO accept CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some state boards do, however, place a limit to the number of credits that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any credit limits related to home-study courses prior to registering for this course.

Additional accrediting agencies by which Northern Speech is an approved CE provider:

  • California: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. Provider #PDP4. Online CEU limits may apply; please contact SLPAHADB for current online CEU acceptance policies.
  • Iowa: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Examiners. Provider #169.
  • Kansas: NSS is approved as a provider of continuing education by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Provider #LTS-S0005.

Frequently Asked Questions

Online Course FAQ — Click Here

Customer Support: Please phone 888.337.3866 or email info@northernspeech.com.

Course Completion Timeframe:

You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.

However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

Content Access:

Access to course materials and content does not expire, even after completing the post test. You may continue to review course material by logging into your NSS account, clicking the My Online Courses tab, and then viewing your desired course.

Certificate of Completion:

On successful completion of the post test (80%), a certificate will be immediately available for download and/or printing. This certificate will include your name, date of completion (based on Eastern Time Zone, USA/Canada), and number of contact hours (CEUs / CEEs). Please note that CEUs are awarded on the date of successful test completion, not the date of course enrollment. Please ensure that you successfully complete the post test prior to any licensure renewal dates.

ASHA CE Registry Submission:

During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

Purchase Orders:

Purchase orders are currently not accepted for online orders, if you wish to submit a purchase order please do so at info@northernspeech.com or fax to 888-696-9655.

What is an Online Course?

Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.

Receiving CEUs:

Northern Speech is an ASHA CE Provider and our online courses are registered with ASHA and offered for ASHA CEUs. Please note that successful completion of the online post test is required prior to the awarding of CEUs. Please contact your state licensing board for acceptance policies related to CEUs earned online. Please note that courses offered for university students are not applicable for CEUs.

Registering for an online course:

You may browse all online courses by clicking the Continuing Education tab above, then Online Courses. Once you find a course, click Enroll Now, and you will be asked to either log into your existing Northern Speech account or create a new online account. Once you’ve entered your account information and provided your credit card payment, your course will be immediately available to you.

Accessing your purchased course or returning to a purchased course:

You will be able to access your online course by logging into your Northern Speech account and then clicking the My Online Courses tab on your profile screen. Click the course you would like to start or to resume. From there, proceed through the course sections until you are ready to complete the post test. You do not have to complete your course all at once. You may log on and off as you wish.

Testing requirements:

Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.

Number of CEUs offered:

We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.

State licensing boards and online CEUs:

NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.

Course formats:

Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.

Course handouts:

Most of our online courses provide a link to download the accompanying handout as a PDF file. 

Group discounts:

Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.

Computer requirements:

For our online courses to function best, we recommend that you update your computer to include the newest version of your Internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc.) and newest version of your computer's operating system. Also a high-speed Internet connection is recommended (cable or DSL). Speakers or headphones will be required for many of our courses as many contain audio components.

Course Cancellation Policy:

A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded. 

Special Needs:

Please click here for any special needs requests, and we will do our best to accommodate them. 

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