Meet Speech & Language Pathologist, Toni Lawley
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Meet Toni! As a Speech & Language Pathologist, Toni Lawley is tasked with several responsibilities including providing evaluation and treatment for physical and nutritional support of swallowing disorders known as dysphagia. She also works with patients with oral motor speech disorders such as dysarthria or language evaluation and treatment for language and cognitive disorders such as aphasia.
As Sierra View is an acute care hospital, Toni sees patients with swallowing disorders during the most critical phase of their illness. Toni explains that patients with a swallowing disorder may take a few days to weeks or longer to safely eat by mouth. “My goal is to get patients nutritionally stable and sometimes stable enough so that they may transfer to a long term facility for necessary long term rehabilitation if that is warranted,” Toni says.
Communication plays a vital role for quality of life and Toni shares that communication during critical, acute phases of a swallowing disorder poses serious health risks requiring much immediate action. “When our nurses need to give medications to patients safely, without using invasive procedures, this is where I step in and can be of help,” Toni adds.
Toni is devoted to serving and supporting the people of the community and is sincerely proud and enjoys the work she does at Sierra View Medical Center. “There’s no better feeling than knowing nurses and doctors at Sierra View trust me to care for their patient,” Toni says. “As an interdisciplinary team member, I enjoy collaborating with other disciplines such as CNA, RN, RD, MD, in the treatment and rehabilitation phase of a patient's recovery journey. Building these connections with team members, including the patient, is very rewarding.” #betterspeechandhearingmonth
As Sierra View is an acute care hospital, Toni sees patients with swallowing disorders during the most critical phase of their illness. Toni explains that patients with a swallowing disorder may take a few days to weeks or longer to safely eat by mouth. “My goal is to get patients nutritionally stable and sometimes stable enough so that they may transfer to a long term facility for necessary long term rehabilitation if that is warranted,” Toni says.
Communication plays a vital role for quality of life and Toni shares that communication during critical, acute phases of a swallowing disorder poses serious health risks requiring much immediate action. “When our nurses need to give medications to patients safely, without using invasive procedures, this is where I step in and can be of help,” Toni adds.
Toni is devoted to serving and supporting the people of the community and is sincerely proud and enjoys the work she does at Sierra View Medical Center. “There’s no better feeling than knowing nurses and doctors at Sierra View trust me to care for their patient,” Toni says. “As an interdisciplinary team member, I enjoy collaborating with other disciplines such as CNA, RN, RD, MD, in the treatment and rehabilitation phase of a patient's recovery journey. Building these connections with team members, including the patient, is very rewarding.” #betterspeechandhearingmonth
