ERIC Number: EJ1485791
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2689-6443
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Educating Future Nurse Practitioners and Physician Associates on Pretreatment of Swallowing in Head and Neck Cancer
Hannah M. Berk; Erin L. O'Bryan; Imran Musaji; Carly A. Thomas; Jamie Harrington
Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, v9 n3 Article 10 2025
Head and neck cancer treatment frequently results in long-term severe swallowing deficits, often requiring feeding tube dependency. Patients who have completed swallowing exercise programs before and during cancer treatment experienced more positive swallowing outcomes, but most patients are not referred for swallowing intervention early enough in their care to prevent long-term deficits. This student research project aimed to measure health profession students' knowledge of swallowing pretreatment for head and neck cancer patients and to investigate the impact of an educational module developed and presented by a Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate student to improve knowledge and awareness of this clinical issue. This study utilized a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design involving two participant groups: 49 physician associate students and nine nurse practitioner students. The graduate student presented educational modules to each student group, focusing on swallowing pretreatment for patients with head and neck cancer. Data analyses revealed significant increases in both groups' posttest scores compared to their pretest scores. The results indicate that the educational module increased interprofessional knowledge regarding swallowing pretreatment for patients with head and neck cancer. Future studies should investigate the impact of the educational module on clinical practice.
Descriptors: Cancer, Human Body, Motor Reactions, Physical Disabilities, Patients, Intervention, Allied Health Occupations Education, College Students, Knowledge Level, Program Effectiveness, Learning Modules, Nurses, Allied Health Personnel, Exercise
Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders. 685 Malena Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Web site: https://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/tlcsd/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

Peer reviewed
