Dysphagia Screening to Reduce Aspiration Pneumonia in Stroke Patients

Project Overview
Student’s Name
Institution
Course Number and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
Project Overview
Project Title
Early Dysphagia Screening to Reduce Aspiration Pneumonia in Stroke Patients
Project Description
The nursing practicum project involved early dysphagia screening among stroke patients. Specifically, the project assessed whether early dysphagia screening among newly diagnosed stroke patients reduced the risk of aspiration pneumonia. The project took place at the Presbyterian hospital in New York.
Project Rationale
This project is an important undertaking because it will benefit patients and the nursing practice. First, I found it necessary to do a project on dysphagia screening because national and international guidelines recommend dysphagia screening for stroke patients 4-24 hours after they are admitted to the hospital (Eltringham et al., 2018). Yet, there is a gap between recommendation and practice because dysphagia screening for stroke patients is not as routine a practice as it should be (Sivertsen et al., 2017). Therefore, this is a necessary project that would first identify the effectiveness of dysphagia screening among stroke patients and then ensure that it becomes routine practice at the hospital.
This project will benefit mostly stroke patients because it will ensure they receive optimum care, including dysphagia screening, at the time of stroke diagnosis. As Palli et al. (2017) indicate, dysphagia screening reduces aspiration pneumonia and the length of hospital stay among stroke patients. It will also improve nursing science and practice by contributing to nursing research and promoting the use of the evidence-based practice in nursing.
Personal/Professional Expectations
As I established the project, I hoped that I would become more competent in leadership, quality improvement, interprofessional collaboration, and clinical prevention, especially as I transition to a nurse with a mastery understanding of the nursing practice. Through improved competency in the above-mentioned areas, I believe I would efficiently provide optimum care to my patients. I also hoped that the project would challenge my thinking, especially about the nursing profession, and allow me to apply critical thinking and decision-making in the real world as I interact with patients and other healthcare professionals.
I hoped that this project would...