Editing Nutrition – LPN Practice Questions (section)

==Question 1==
The LPN is assisting a client with dysphagia to eat lunch. Which action is most appropriate?
# Position the client at a 45-degree angle in bed to reduce fatigue.
# Position the client upright at 90 degrees and allow time between bites.
# Offer thin liquids through a straw between each bite of food.
# Encourage the client to tilt the head back to help food go down.

'''Answer:''' 2. Position the client upright at 90 degrees and allow time between bites.

''Rationale:'' Sitting fully upright uses gravity to keep food moving toward the esophagus and protects the airway. Allowing time between bites prevents rushing, which is a common cause of aspiration. Option 1 is not upright enough for a client with a swallowing impairment. Option 3 is wrong on two counts: thin liquids are the easiest consistency to aspirate, and straws deliver a fast bolus to the back of the throat before the client is ready. Option 4 opens the airway and increases aspiration risk; a chin-tuck position is used instead when recommended by the speech language pathologist.