Course Instructor

Elizabeth Norberg, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

Elizabeth Norberg is a Board-Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders who brings nearly two decades of specialized clinical experience to the field. Her career with Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) began as a mobile endoscopist serving nursing homes throughout South Alabama. Since then, she has practiced in acute care settings within major teaching hospitals across the nation, establishing deep expertise in complex diagnostic of the upper airway and swallow dysfunction. Elizabeth’s clinical specialties include the diagnosis and treatment of swallow dysfunction in medically complex patients, artificial airways, head and neck cancer, and using FEES for comprehensive upper aerodigestive tract assessments.

Disclosures

Financial: Salaried Employee at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Receiving honorarium from TIMS University

Non-financial: No relevant non-financial disclosures.

Description

Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) is an invaluable tool for assessing the upper aerodigestive tract for the recovery of voice and swallow function. Using standardized tools is both important and necessary to ensure objective, high-quality patient care. This course will review the current literature, examine evidence-based practices, and provide clinicians with the essential tools required for maximizing the diagnostic and therapeutic utility of the FEES exam.

Learning Outcomes

Describe standardization for FEES and why it is important.
List steps to prepare for a FEES examination.
Describe standardized voicing tasks and swallow protocols utilized for FEES.
List commonly used validated FEES rating scales to assess swallowing safety, efficiency, and physiology.
Describe key language and important findings to include in FEES reports.

Agenda

7:00 - 7:10 | Why Standardization is so Important
7:10 - 7:25 | “Pre-Performance”: Dye Debate, Lubricant vs. Water vs. Lidocaine, Set Up, Bolus Protocol
7:25 - 7:30 | Transnasal Passage: Vaseline on Lips, Looking in Both Nares, Anxiety and Pain Perception
7:30 - 8:00 | Exam Time: Secretion Scales - The Murray, The Majorney, The NZSS, Voicing Tasks, The Laryngeal Exam, MUSC, Reflux Finding Score, Abnormalities vs. Anatomical Variances
8:00 - 8:30 | Exam Analysis: The Importance of Frame-by-Frame Analysis, DIGEST-FEES, VASES, The Yale Residue Scale, The PAS
8:30 - 8:45 | Case Studies
8:45 - 9:00 | Q&A

Satisfactory Course Completion Requirements

To successfully complete the course, participants must attend the entire live event and submit the post-course survey.

Course Information

Registration Link