Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Objectives To examine nurses’ perspectives on current dysphagia screening practices in Irish residential long-term care settings (RLTCS), and to investigate barriers and facilitators to nursing-led dysphagia screening within this healthcare context. Methods This study employed a qualitative descriptive design and was reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling from RLTCS located in the northeast of the Republic of Ireland. Eleven in-person focus group interviews were conducted with thirty-four nurses working in clinical and managerial roles. A semi-structured interview guide was utilised, and the data were subsequently analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results One central theme, comprising four subthemes, was developed. Nurses identified residents at risk of dysphagia through clinical judgement, drawing mainly on mealtime observations and residents’ self-reports of swallowing difficulties. Adequate training to screen for dysphagia and effective interprofessional communication were highlighted as key facilitators in identifying at-risk residents. Limited access to speech and language therapists (SLTs), lack of dysphagia-specific guidelines and absence of validated swallow screening tests for this population were identified as major barriers. Conclusion While nurses valued receiving in-service training in dysphagia, the practices employed to identify residents at risk often lack empirical support. Consequently, a substantial number of residents with dysphagia may remain undiagnosed. Limited access to SLT dysphagia services, combined with the absence of validated swallow screening tests for older adults in RLTCS, further impedes timely diagnosis and appropriate management of dysphagia.
Keywords
dysphagia, nursing, qualitative research, residential care, screening, thematic analysis
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
9-1-2026
Article Number
104156
ISSN
01974572
Volume
72
Publication Title
Geriatric Nursing
Publisher
Elsevier
School
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Funding Information
Constantino Estupiñán Artiles received ‘The 2020–2030 Trinity College Dublin School of Nursing and Midwifery PhD Scholarship programme’ – Part-time PhD Scholarship.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Artiles, C. E., Donnellan, C., Regan, J., & Mooney, M. (2026). Nurses’ perspectives of dysphagia screening practices in Irish residential long-term care settings: A qualitative descriptive study. Geriatric Nursing, 72, Article 104156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2026.104156