Dysphagia: Swallowing Difficulties and Medicines

The course offers an opportunity to network with other learners and with the creators of the course through discussions, graphs and social networking features and to share knowledge with other learners and professionals. By completing this online course participants will be able to describe:

• the swallowing process and different causes of swallowing problems
• the different types of medicines formulations and how these should be administered to patients
• how tablets and capsules are designed to ensure that drugs are appropriately distributed in the body
• special considerations which need to be taken into account when giving medicines to older people and children
• the law relating to the selection and administration of medicines
• how best to administer medicines to patients with dysphagia

You can use the hashtag #FLswallowMed to join and contribute to social media conversations about this course.

We look forward to seeing you on the course.

This course is designed for anyone with an interest in medicines, the swallowing process, and different causes of swallowing problems

You don’t need any prior experience however, it will be of particular interest to carers, nurses, and those in the field of medicine.

• Dysphagia: overview
• Introduction to the course
• The swallowing process and causes of swallowing difficulties
• Signs and symptoms of dysphagia
• Conditions associated with dysphagia
• The role of healthcare professionals (HCP) in dysphagia
• End of Week 1
• "Prescribing medicines for patients with dysphagia"
• Oral formulations and medicines management
• Welcome to Week 2
• Understanding different oral formulations
• How solid dose formulations work
• Guidelines on the medication management of adults with swallowing difficulties
• Tampering with medication
• End of Week 2
• "Prescribing medicines for patients with dysphagia"
• Medicines law, unlicensed medicines & patients rights
• Welcome to Week 3
• Dysphagia: prescribing law
• Licensed and unlicensed medicines
• Patient rights
• End of Week 3
• "Prescribing medicines for patients with dysphagia"
• Medication taking behaviour
• Welcome to Week 4
• Adherence
• Management of non-adherent behaviour
• The role of adherence in dysphagia
• End of Week 4
• "Prescribing medicines for patients with dysphagia"
• Ageing and dysphagia
• Welcome to Week 5
• Changes associated with ageing
• Management of multiple medicines
• End of Week 5
• "Prescribing medicines for patients with dysphagia"
• Swallowing difficulties in young age
• Welcome to Week 6
• Managing the medication for the younger person
• Factors to consider when prescribing to the young population
• Considerations when using oral formulations
• End of Week 6
• "Prescribing medicines for patients with dysphagia"