"It was helpful to discuss the harm of thickened liquids may cause. Slides and speaker were easy to follow." A.G. (Apr. 2024)

"Assessment and intervention were beneficial. Direct, specific information and explanations." S.C. (Apr. 2024)

"Interventions were helpful. I liked that the course could be completed in my own time." L.M. (Apr. 2024)

"It was beneficial to discuss the rate of aspiration and the body's ability to tolerate aspirating. I liked the flexibility of taking the course." J.H. (Apr. 2024)

"The information on thickened liquids was beneficial. I enjoyed the discussion of the different types of pneumonia and the case studies." D.H. (Mar. 2024)

"Content relevant to my practice. Discussing free water protocols was helpful." A.M. (Mar. 2024)

"Differential diagnosis and ongoing diagnosis. I liked the presentation. Easy to understand." C.G. (Mar. 2024)

"I enjoyed the practical knowledge. Discussed how aspiration pneumonia is diagnosed." K.P. (Mar. 2024)

"It was beneficial discussing the disadvantages of thickened liquids. Clear powerpoint slides." D.R. (Mar. 2024)

"The intervention was helpful, and I liked the case studies." T.L. (Mar. 2024)

"The presenter is clearly very knowledgeable. Pathogenesis information and understanding the difference between different pneumonias was helpful. The course was split into bitesize sections." H.B. (Mar. 2024)

"The detailed definition and criteria for aspiration pneumonia were beneficial to discuss. I enjoyed the examples and detailed explanation of aspiration pneumonia and the potential causes of it." M.V. (Feb. 2024)

"I learned a lot of helpful data/facts that I can use to support my recommendations with staff and pt/family. I did not know starch-based thickeners were worse if aspirated." K.O. (Feb. 2024)

"The presenter presented the info in a clear, organized manner. I liked discussing the updated research and its implications on treatment." L.R. (Feb. 2024)

"Discerning whether or not to recommend thickened liquids was helpful to discuss." L.S. (Feb. 2024)

"The portion about intervention was beneficial. I liked the case studies." J.B. (Feb. 2024)

"The strategies to implement day to day were great and will be useful to me." L.S. (Feb. 2024)

"The discussion of the use of PPIs and antacids increasing the risk of aspiration pneumonia was helpful. Good flow, clear and concise, lots of research cited." K.K. (Feb. 2024)

"The 3 criteria for diagnosing pneumonia and charts showing when to recommend an MBSS were beneficial. Also the discussion of people not preferring thickened liquids and risks of aspirating the thickeners. I liked seeing the speaker." D.H. (Feb. 2024)

"Comprehensive review of lung function and pneumonia. Enjoyed the use of case studies to illustrate topic points." K.B. (Jan. 2024)

"Discussing the thickener issue was helpful. I liked the flexible viewing time and pace." W.L. (Jan. 2024)

"More info regarding thickened liquids was beneficial. To the point information." R.C. (Dec. 2023)

"Actually, all of the topics are beneficial for daily practice. I liked that the course was easy to attend." B.A. (Dec. 2023)

"Very well presented course! Extremely well put together and easy to follow. So much useful information. Assessment and risk management were beneficial topics." J.F. (Dec. 2023)

"The water protocol research was beneficial. I liked the case studies." C.V. (Dec. 2023)

"Discussing aspiration pneumonitis vs. aspiration pneumonia vs. ventilator-associated aspiration pneumonia was beneficial. I really liked the idea of 'small baby steps and inching forward' for our medically complex patients. The material was presented in a way that was easy to understand." V.B. (Dec. 2023)

"Thin vs thick liquids. Straight forward course, easy to understand, and relevant to daily practice." J.B. (Dec. 2023)

"Very comprehensive and easy to follow course. I liked the thought-provoking grey areas of dysphagia diagnostics." S.C. (Dec. 2023)

"The pathophysiology of pna and timeline for developing aspiration pna were beneficial to discuss. I enjoyed the presentation style and repetition of key points for educating the medical team." K.F. (Dec. 2023)

"I liked the discussions on the resilience of our lungs, the diagnostic protocol of aspiration pneumonia, and to be mindful that it can sometimes be overdiagnosed. The PowerPoint presentations were excellent, and George was very good." R.M. (Dec. 2023)

"Functional information. Beneficial discussions of water and ice chip protocol." J.W. (Dec. 2023)

"Actually, every topic in the course either 1) confirmed and backed up with research information that I already use daily or 2) synthesized very important new information for me to use every day. The pace, explanation of terminology, and synthesis of information with easy-to-understand research examples were all super helpful. The case studies were on-point for explaining his information, too." G.S. (Dec. 2023)

"I enjoyed the discussion on the interventions and how to have genuine conversations with patients as to why to use thickened liquids for short periods of time to aid in their improvement." R.J. (Nov. 2023)

"The over-reactivity of our profession to clinical signs of aspiration was a beneficial topic. I liked the algorithms to intervention." K.G. (Nov. 2023)

"Water and ice protocols were beneficial topics. I liked the discussion on how most patients do not like thickened liquids and interventions for such." M.G. (Nov. 2023)

"Discussing the difference between Aspiration pneumonia and other types of pneumonia and the benefits and downsides of thickener were beneficial." R.B. (Nov. 2023)

"Clear, concise presentation of information. I enjoyed the comparison of information related to the use of thin versus thickened liquids." J.M. (Nov. 2023)

"The decision-making diagrams and encouragement to look at the big picture were helpful. I liked the ease of taking this course and the use of a viewable speaker while having slides." M.G. (Nov. 2023)

"Applicable to my long term care setting." K.B. (Nov. 2023)

"Assessing the whole picture. I liked the case studies." M.V. (Nov. 2023)

"Reviewed ways to help manage aspiration pneumonia and how to care for our patients most effectively. I liked the speaker's passion for this topic and population." E.B. (Oct. 2023)

"My bedside evaluations and chart reviews are more accurate after this course. The presenter was most knowledgeable." K.D. (Oct. 2023)

"Discussing thin vs nectar thick liquids was beneficial." J.H. (Oct. 2023)

"Great examples and clear presentation of the information. Changes my views and recommendations of aspiration pneumonia." S.H. (Oct. 2023)

"Extremely practical information for the patients I work with daily. I liked the 3 criteria for diagnosis of pneumonia and evaluating the use of thickened liquids." R.J. (Oct. 2023)

"Very informative course with good information. Utilizing case history information when diagnosing aspiration pneumonia was beneficial." M.S. (Oct. 2023)

"I liked the clinical relevance. All the various risk factors for developing pneumonia were beneficial." J.R. (Oct. 2023)

"Clear, concise, good pace. I liked the thickened liquid discussion." R.W. (Oct. 2023)

"Excellent instruction. I liked all of it." S.E. (Oct. 2023)

"The speaker was clear and engaging. I liked the assessment and treatment information." N.D. (Oct. 2023)

"Research based. Practical application." A.C. (Oct. 2023)

"Well organized. Easy to follow. Great review." J.T. (Oct. 2023)

"Learning other causes of Aspiration Pneumonia other than dysphagia. I liked the info about contributing factors." D.B. (Oct. 2023)

"Oral hygiene/oral bacteria (I did not know about increased oral health risks for people with diabetes!), risks for thickened liquids & thickened liquid properties, and stages of PNA were all beneficial topics. Cited articles. There were a number that I was not aware of, and I can't wait to read them! I also appreciate the teaching method. There was a re-visiting of previously presented materials that helped to reinforce learning." E.K. (Oct. 2023)

"Well organized. Easy to follow." J.T. (Oct. 2023)

"Discussing the criteria for pneumonia and reinforcing that aspiration does not always equate to aspiration pneumonia." A.R. (Sep. 2023)

"It was beneficial to discuss the causes of aspiration pneumonia and that certain liquids may increase the chance of developing pneumonia more than others." D.L. (Sep. 2023)

"Easy to follow and practical course. Holistic approach to determining aspiration pneumonia." S.C. (Sep. 2023)

"Wonderful speaker. Differentiated community acquired vs health care environment. Delightful course!" J.S. (Sep. 2023)

"Functional information including standardized assessment tools and detailed descriptions of Free Water / Ice Chip Protocols. I liked the holistic theme of this course." T.W. (Sep. 2023)

"This course was excellent. I liked the way the course was organized. I liked seeing the presenter during the presentation." M.T. (Sep. 2023)

"Discussing high vs low risk patients was beneficial. I liked how this course talked about clinical use of the information." R.S. (Sep. 2023)

"This material should be required in the training of all SLPs. I appreciated the "bigger picture" perspective and in my 21 years of experience with critically ill hospital patients, I found most of the points on target. I had never thought about the effects that thickened liquids might have on medication absorption. The course information was real world, well-supported and commiserate with my own experiences." C.W. (Sep. 2023)

"The entire course was excellent! Everything was of benefit to my clinical practice. I had not heard of this presenter prior to taking this course. He is an excellent instructor." H.S. (Sep. 2023)

"I appreciated the entirety of this discussion. I liked the visuals and the notes." M.F. (Sep. 2023)

"The course was applicable to my job. I liked the case examples." E.D. (Sep. 2023)

"All of the content will be beneficial. Great explanations and visual supports/handouts." K.P. (Sep. 2023)

"Discussing the risks of aspiration pneumonia was beneficial. I liked the information related to best ways to assess risk." P.B. (Aug. 2023)

"I liked the information regarding water protocol. And all of the case studies." K.C. (Aug. 2023)

"I have a better understanding now of aspiration. The entire course was very informative and practical." J.S. (Aug. 2023)

"I enjoyed all of the course. Good information and graphics." E.N. (Aug. 2023)

"Concise, good speaker, good slides. I liked the discussion of thick versus thin liquids." L.S. (Aug. 2023)

"It was beneficial to discuss the differential diagnoses of pneumonia and the pathogenesis of pneumonia in general. I liked the amount of information presented on each slide and the incorporation of case studies." E.V. (Aug. 2023)

"I liked the specific information to describe AP, the thoughts about considering the whole person and overall picture and not just dysphagia concerns and results, and the intervention suggestions and considerations. This course presented clear and complete information, and also charts and examples to really help us consider the best recommendations based on the individual patient." J.S. (Aug. 2023)

"The consideration of reflux in assessment was beneficial. I liked the direct information." K.D. (Aug. 2023)

"It was beneficial to understand pna more specifically the role of thickener and issues in the decision-making process. I liked that the case studies were to the point about dysphagia/asp pna." C.P. (Jul. 2023)

"This course was informative and useful. I liked the discussions around bedside swallow assessment and difficulties of assessment." H.C. (Jul. 2023)

"Very informative and helpful in long-term care practice as well as for acute rehab setting. It was beneficial to discuss diet texture choices in relation to comorbidities." T.H. (Jul. 2023)

"This course was absolutely fantastic! I liked all of it!" L.D. (Jul. 2023)

"Discussing the difference between community and hospital infection of patients was beneficial. And how a normal breather protects their lungs." C.T. (Jul. 2023)

"Pros and cons of the use of thickened liquids was a beneficial topic. I liked the course organization." D.H. (Jul. 2023)

"The case studies were very interesting and most helpful. It was beneficial differentiating between the different types of pneumonia. The handout was very easy to follow, and the speaker was very clear. The content was extremely helpful." L.H. (Jul. 2023)

"Nice graphics and good case studies." J.A. (Jul. 2023)

This program is offered for 0.2 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level; Professional Area).

ASHA CEUs: NSS online courses are registered with ASHA and are offered for ASHA CEUs. The number of ASHA CEUs is noted above. Note that 0.1 ASHA CEU = 1 contact hour = equals 1 CEE.

ASHA CEUs: Attendees must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to be eligible to earn ASHA CEUs:

• Current ASHA Member
• ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) Holder
• Licensed by a state or provincial regulatory agency to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology
• Credentialed by a state regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
• Credentialed by a national regulatory agency to practice SLP or audiology
• Engaged in a Clinical Fellowship under the supervision of an individual with their ASHA CCC
• Currently enrolled in a master's or doctoral program in SLP or audiology

If an attendee is not an ASHA member or CCC holder but meets any of the above criteria, they may inform the ASHA CE Registry of their eligibility by visiting this site.

Customer Support: Please phone 888.337.3866 or email info@northernspeech.com.

Course Completion Timeframe:

You have unlimited time to complete our online courses. You may log off and log on as often as you’d like to in order to complete all sections of a course.

However, completion dates are based on Eastern Standard Time. Therefore, if you need your CEUs by a certain date, be sure to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on that date. For example, if you need CEUs before January 1st, you will need to complete the course test before 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

Content Access:

Access to course materials and content does not expire, even after completing the post test. You may continue to review course material by logging into your NSS account, clicking the My Online Courses tab, and then viewing your desired course.

Certificate of Completion:

On successful completion of the post test (80%), a certificate will be immediately available for download and/or printing. This certificate will include your name, date of completion (based on Eastern Time Zone, USA/Canada), and number of contact hours (CEUs / CEEs). Please note that CEUs are awarded on the date of successful test completion, not the date of course enrollment. Please ensure that you successfully complete the post test prior to any licensure renewal dates.

ASHA CE Registry Submission:

During the enrollment process, if you select to receive ASHA credit for this course and if you provide your ASHA number, NSS will automatically submit your CEU information to the ASHA CE Registry after successful course completion (80% on post test). This submission happens once per month, during the first week of the month. For example, if you complete your course on November 7th, NSS will submit all November online course CEUs to ASHA during the first week of December. When ASHA inputs the information into their database, they will mark the course as completed on the last day of the month in which it was completed, so November 30th using this example. The certificate of completion available for you to print immediately, however, will reflect the actual completion date, November 7th in this example. Due to ASHA processing procedures please allow 2-3 weeks, from the submission date, for the course to appear on your ASHA transcript.

Purchase Orders:

Purchase orders are currently not accepted for online orders, if you wish to submit a purchase order please do so at info@northernspeech.com or fax to 888-696-9655.

What is an Online Course?

Our Online Courses consist of video, audio, and/or text content and are offered for ASHA CEUs. Unlike a webinar, which requires participants to be logged on and at a computer at specific times, our Online Courses are available to you at any time, from any device, via your NorthernSpeech.com online account. You may work at your own pace and start and stop your course as you wish. Your course will conclude with a short post test. On successful completion of the post test (>80%), a printable certificate of completion is presented to you.

Receiving CEUs:

Northern Speech is an ASHA CE Provider and our online courses are registered with ASHA and offered for ASHA CEUs. Please note that successful completion of the online post test is required prior to the awarding of CEUs. Please contact your state licensing board for acceptance policies related to CEUs earned online. Please note that courses offered for university students are not applicable for CEUs.

Registering for an online course:

You may browse all online courses by clicking the Continuing Education tab above, then Online Courses. Once you find a course, click Enroll Now, and you will be asked to either log into your existing Northern Speech account or create a new online account. Once you’ve entered your account information and provided your credit card payment, your course will be immediately available to you.

Accessing your purchased course or returning to a purchased course:

You will be able to access your online course by logging into your Northern Speech account and then clicking the My Online Courses tab on your profile screen. Click the course you would like to start or to resume. From there, proceed through the course sections until you are ready to complete the post test. You do not have to complete your course all at once. You may log on and off as you wish.

Testing requirements:

Each online course concludes with a post test consisting of multiple choice or true & false questions. Scores of 80% or greater are required for successful course completion and awarding of CEUs. You may revisit course materials and retest as needed to achieve a passing score.

Number of CEUs offered:

We offer courses from 1 to 21 contact hours. Each course will note the number of CEUs offered. Please note that 0.1 CEU = 1 contact hour = 1 CEE.

State licensing boards and online CEUs:

NSS is an ASHA CE Provider and most state licensing boards DO accept ASHA CEUs earned online (usually classified as home-study credits). Some boards do, however, place a limit to the number of CEUs that can be earned via home study/online courses. For the most current information, we suggest that you contact your licensing board or agency to verify acceptance policies and/or any CEU limits related to home-study courses prior to enrolling in an online course.

Course formats:

Our course formats include: text, audio, video, and PowerPoint with author narration. Each course will note the format on the course description page. Most courses include closed captioning.

Course handouts:

Most of our online courses provide a link to download the accompanying handout as a PDF file. 

Group discounts:

Groups of 3 or more are eligible for a 20% discount on each registration on most of our online courses. To receive this discount, registrations need to be processed together via the "Group Rates" tab on the Online Course of your choice.

Computer requirements:

For our online courses to function best, we recommend that you update your computer to include the newest version of your Internet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Internet Explorer, etc.) and newest version of your computer's operating system. Also a high-speed Internet connection is recommended (cable or DSL). Speakers or headphones will be required for many of our courses as many contain audio components.

Course Cancellation Policy:

A purchased online course can be exchanged, refunded, or transferred to another individual if contact is made with NSS (via phone or email) within 30 days of purchase and the course materials have not been viewed or downloaded. 

Special Needs:

Please click here for any special needs requests, and we will do our best to accommodate them. 

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