The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist’s Implementation of Dysphagia Screening in Clinical Practice: A Commentary

Authors

• Nicole Wiksten, Ohio State UniversityFollow
• Holly Estes-Doetsch (0000-0003-0136-0617), Ohio State UniversityFollow
• Laura C. Boucher, Ohio State UniversityFollow
• Sarah Rusnak, Ohio State UniversityFollow
• Kristen M. Roberts (0000-0001-5619-990X), Ohio State UniversityFollow

Author Biographical Information

Nicole Wiksten, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Speech and Hearing Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio State University Holly Estes-Doetsch, MS, RDN, Clinical Instructor, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State University Laura Boucher, PhD, ATC, Associate Professor, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State University Sarah Rusnak, MS, RDN, Clinical Instructor, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State University Corresponding author: Kristen M Roberts, PhD, RDN, Associate Professor, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ohio State University

Abstract

Background: The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) amended the competencies for the future education model (FEM) in dietetic education to include competency 3.6 stating that the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) must be able to "Initiate and conduct bedside swallow screenings". There is no clear process for RDNs to implement dysphagia screening in practice or academia. The aim of this review is to inform clinicians and educators on current literature discussing current RDN and speech language pathology approaches to dysphagia screening and to provide a proposed curriculum for implementation of competency 3.6 in clinical practice and academia.

DOI

10.26890/tunb2337

Recommended Citation

Wiksten, Nicole; Estes-Doetsch, Holly; Boucher, Laura C.; Rusnak, Sarah; and Roberts, Kristen M. (2026) "The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist’s Implementation of Dysphagia Screening in Clinical Practice: A Commentary," Journal of Dietetic Education: Vol. 4: Iss. 2, Article 7.
DOI: 10.26890/tunb2337
Available at: https://ecommons.udayton.edu/jde/vol4/iss2/7