Karina Almanza, CSUN 2017-2018 Dietetic Intern

R.D., Deborah Lomax

In-service Reflection: Dysphagia

The in-service presentation conducted on September 21, 2017 highlighted the topic and training
of dysphagia. In the form of a hand out, I reviewed each component I included in the hand out and
reviewed a pre- and post- test regarding different topics in dysphagia. The presentation was conducted
during conduction of the tray line in the kitchen, where the kitchen staff would review orders and prepare
meals to be sent up to the patients rooms. This ended up being a slight distraction when I was conducting
the presentation because I already had to project my voice over the machines in the kitchen that were
being used. All of the staff were shuffled around different open spaces in the kitchen, in between
machines and tables, they stood listening and I had difficulty in distributing the materials including, pre-
and post- test, hand out, agenda. In the stir of the commotion, I realized a little too late that I had
accidently distributed the post test initially, thinking it was the pre-test.
When reviewing the answers for the pre- and post- test at the end of the presentation, I realized
that because I had made both exams in the same work document, the questions were automated to be
numbered as if the second page was a continuation, starting the post-test with number 7 and the answers
as e., f., g., etc. Which made it confusing for the individuals reviewing their pre-test instead of the
post-test. What might have been answer c for question 1, was really answer g. For question 7.
It was a learning experience more than anything, being able to adapt to your environment and
respond to the challenges that might have been anticipated or not. The staff was very responsive and at
least 50% showed improvement in taking the pre-test versus the post-test (taking into consideration the
confusion initially made during distribution).