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A consensus statement for the management and rehabilitation of communication and swallowing function in the ICU: A global response to COVID-19

Published:November 06, 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2020.10.113
A consensus statement for the management and rehabilitation of communication and swallowing function in the ICU: A global response to COVID-19
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      ABSTRACT

      Objective

      To identify core practices for workforce management of communication and swallowing functions in COVID-19 positive patients within the ICU.

      Design

      A modified Delphi methodology was utilized, with 3 electronic voting rounds. AGREE II and an adapted COVID-19 survey framework from physiotherapy were used to develop survey statements. Sixty-six statements pertaining to workforce planning and management of communication and swallowing function in the ICU were included.

      Setting

      Electronic modified Delphi process.

      Participants

      35 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) from 6 continents representing 12 countries.

      Interventions

      Not applicable.

      Main Outcome Measures

      The main outcome was consensus agreement, defined a priori as ≥70% of participants with a mean Likert score ≥7.0 (11-point scale: “0” = strongly disagree, “10” strongly agree). Prioritization rank order of statements in a 4th round was also conducted.

      Results

      SLPs with a median of 15 years ICU experience, working primarily in clinical (54%), in academic (29%) or managerial (17%) positions, completed all voting rounds. After the third round, 64 statements (97%) met criteria. Rank ordering identified issues of high importance.

      Conclusions

      A set of global consensus statements to facilitate planning and delivery of rehabilitative care for patients admitted to the ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic were agreed by an international expert SLP group. Statements focus on considerations for workforce preparation, resourcing and training, and the management of communication and swallowing functions. These statements support and provide direction for all members of the rehabilitation team to use for patients admitted to the ICU during a global pandemic.

      Key words/MeSH terms

      ABBREVIATIONS:

      AAC (augmentative and alternative communication), AGP (aerosol generating procedure), COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), ICU (intensive care unit), FEES (flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing), SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist), VFSS (videofluoroscopic swallow study)

      Article Info

      Publication History

      Accepted: October 26, 2020
      Received in revised form: October 26, 2020
      Received: July 7, 2020

      Publication stage

      In Press Journal Pre-Proof

      Footnotes

      ● The content of this manuscript was not presented

      ● There was no financial support for this manuscript.

      ● Associate Professor M.B. Brodsky discloses a relationship with MedBridge Inc. Nil other conflicts of interest are declared by other authors.

      ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

      The authors wish to thank the support and contributions of the COVID-19 SLP Global Group:

      Sally K. Archer, Ph.D.

      Sonia Baker, BSpPath

      Liza Bergström, Ph.D.

      Clare L. Burns, Ph.D.

      Tanis Cameron, M.A.

      Michelle Cimoli, BSpPath

      Nicola A. Clayton, Ph.D.

      Gemma Clunie, M.Sc.

      Therese Cole, M.A.

      Camilla Dawson, DClinP

      Karen Dikeman, M.A.

      Brooke Duggan, BSpPath

      Leanie Engelbrecht, M. Communication Pathology

      Nicole Langton-Frost, M.A.

      Bronwyn Hemsley, Ph.D.

      Hanneke Kalf, Ph.D.

      Marta Kazandjian, M.A.

      Sunaina Lakha, BA Speech Therapy & Audiology

      Stevie Marvin, M.S.

      Melanie McIntyre, BSpPath

      Jo Puntil-Sheltman, M.S.

      José Ribamar do Nascimento Junior, M.Sc.

      Debra M. Suiter, Ph.D.

      Anna-Liisa Sutt, Ph.D.

      Sarah Wallace, P.G. Dip. Sp Path

      Charissa J. Zaga, BSpPath, MPH

      The authors also wish to acknowledge and thank Peter J.Thomas for his guidance in developing this research.

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2020.10.113

      Copyright

      © 2020 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine

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