We understand that nurses are hands down the busiest people in the SNF. Nurses have an immense responsibility to carry out all aspects of a patient’s plan of care while following exact recommendations from a plethora of paraprofessionals where even the smallest mistake can lead to a re-hospitalization. We’ve spent many hours in SNF dining rooms, and have seen and heard all of the difficulties that the nursing staff face on a daily basis. Too many patients to feed, too many strategies to carry out, too many patients on thickened liquids, too many patients on modified diets, too many patients requiring supervision with their meal. We’ve heard them ALL. Unfortunately, in some facilities, Nurses and Speech Pathologists argue constantly over unrealistic expectations at mealtimes. The Speech Pathologist recommends specific strategies, while the CNA is responsible for carrying those out, for every bite, for 5 different patients, all at the same time. And when the CNA questions the Speech Pathologist if all of those strategies are really necessary, we take offense. Have no fear. The mobile FEES is here. We trial all consistencies with a variety of compensatory strategies to ensure that the only the EFFECTIVE strategies are put in place. If we identify a patient that desires to eat completely independently even if it means that their meal has to be served already chopped up, we will recommend that. On the flipside, a patient might prefer the regular meal and not mind the supervision and minimal assistance from nursing. Mealtime should be enjoyable, not a battleground. Allow us to help you provide independence to your patients and free up time for your nurses by minimizing unnecessary strategies and supervision requirements.