Nasendoscopy Skills Bootcamp

This two-day intensive course is aimed at registered speech and language therapists and other clinical professionals who work with adults to develop the practical skills elements of Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) or Endoscopic Evaluation of the Larynx (EEL) for voice disordered patients.

You will develop the nasendoscopy skills necessary for assessment of oropharyngeal dysphagia and/or voice disorders. This is an intensive practical skills training course, and the small group work will ensure that you are well supported.

Hosted at KARL STORZ UK; the Training and Technology Centre provides a spacious, airy, and comfortable training environment with a range of endoscopy equipment and relevant clinical environments, such as plinth, clinic chair, seated.

Our SVS Competency and Assessment Framework documents provide you with a roadmap of the skills required to perform nasendoscopy for FEES/EEL. This is aligned with the RCSLT FEES and EEL position papers. You will have a step-by-step structured programme of learning and assessment. You will receive detailed feedback and useful documentation to take away at the end of the course for continuing your conscious competency development and evidence for your portfolio.

Day one you will become familiar with endoscopy systems and a decontamination protocol so that we can practice safely. You then progress to practical skills in passing the nasendoscope in simulation/on each other.

Day two you will consolidate skills from day 1 and progress to assessing swallow function with the opportunity to work through a FEES protocol using the high and low endoscope positions. Those developing EEL skills will have an introduction to stroboscopic assessment and use a voice clinic assessment protocol.

Everyone works and progresses differently, so we do not promise specific numbers of nasendoscopy passes. However, across the 2 days, most delegates will achieve the 5 passes on healthy volunteers towards their portfolio of evidence to be signed off (RCSLT) and everyone will have a personal development plan in place to continue their competency progression.

Course Prerequisites 

This course is just one part of a comprehensive endoscopy education programme for qualified and registered professionals who have permission to provide endoscopy assessment within their scope of professional practice (FEES/EEL).

It is each delegate’s responsibility to ensure that their employer and/or their professional role permits this training. Delegates must have relevant professional registration and professional indemnity insurance in place.

UK (registered SLT) FEES pathway delegates: prior to this training, as a minimum you will have undertaken the theoretical component of FEES training to at least foundation level and completed the relevant prerequisite competency development in the RCSLT FEES Position Paper.

UK (registered SLT) EEL pathway delegates: as a minimum you will have experience of working in a joint voice clinic and achieved the prerequisites as specified in the RCSLT EEL Position Paper.

UK (registered non-SLT) delegates: you will be registered with your professional body and as a minimum will have undertaken theoretical components as relevant to your profession and your role.

For delegates who work outside the UK jurisdiction: you will have undertaken professional qualifications appropriate to your jurisdiction and your role. You will have the relevant professional permissions and registrations currently in place which include professional indemnity insurance and have a named professional supervisor within your organisation.

For all delegates: Completion of this course does not infer competence as an independent endoscopist. We strongly advise that you have plans in place for the ongoing supervision of your nasendoscopy skills upon return to your workplace, to ensure your continued competency development and to consolidate your skills with patients.

Pre-Bootcamp Webinar FAQs (Zoom recording)

We have pre-recorded a short webinar which you will receive as part of the pre-course resources pack. Please take time to watch this – it’s about 45 minutes long.

This is a chance to refresh your anatomy and physiology, hear us answer FAQs prior to the training and hear information about what to bring, what to wear, the course content, and how you can get the most out of the training days.

We are of course, always happy to answer your inquiries about the course so please do get in touch if we can assist you.