What instruction should you give to the nursing assistant who will feed the patient?

Position the patient sitting up in bed before you feed her.

Positioning the patient in a sitting position decreases the risk of aspiration. The nursing assistant is not trained to assess gag or swallowing reflexes. The patient should not be rushed during feeding. A patient who needs to be suctioned between bites of food is not handling secretions and is at risk for aspiration. This patient should be assessed further before feeding. Focus: Delegation/supervision