Abstract
Clinicians often perceive the intensive care unit as among the most intimidating environments
in patient care. With the proper training, acquisition of skill, and approach to clinical
care, feelings of intimidation may be overcome with the great rewards this level of
care has to offer. This review—spanning the ages of birth to senescence and covering
oral/nasal endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy—presents a clinically relevant,
directly applicable review of screening, assessment, and treatment of dysphagia in
the patients who are critically ill for clinical speech–language pathologists and
identifies gaps in the clinical peer-reviewed literature for researchers.
Keywords
critical care - intensive care unit - infant - child - adult - intubation - tracheostomy
- noninvasive ventilation - screening - assessment
