Is pureeing food for a dysphagia diet a task that must be done by someone qualified in skilled nursing?

I should think it's not the puréeing per se as the supervising of a person with impaired swallowing reflex that puts this into the "skilled" category.

Sounds to me like one of those unintended consequences of well-intentioned guidelines. In a similar way, only nurses or SLTs who had done the specific training were allowed to assess swallowing reflexes in stroke patients in our local hospital. The upshot - apart from my turning into a gremlin and biting metaphorical chunks off people - was that my mother lay on a a specialist stroke ward for seven hours without water because none of the many nurses and doctors present were "qualified" to assess her swallow reflex. Of course they were bloody qualified! - just not on the right list.

What about if you purée the food yourself, put it in sealed containers in the fridge, and ask the HCAs to warm it through in the microwave?

Laws may vary by state but mom's memory care - considered assisted living by state - has the kitchen staff purée the food

I've seen regular caregivers take a jar of thickener and pour unmeasured into a glass of juice

I would think if meal prep is part of the service then putting it into a blender shouldn't be an issue - if so can you purée ahead of time so they are merely heating up in the microwave ?

I've been a RN for over 20 years and have never heard of this either. I will check the AZ Board of Nursing to see if there is any truth to it. I know in the hospital, we have trained family on how to do complex dressing changes, Run long term IV antibiotics, and other such IV fluids. How to connect and flush feeding tubes....Never ever heard anything about pureed food. Really, if that's the case would people need special licenses to feed babies?

I'm in Indiana, and my dad is in MC here. His facility cannot provide a dysphagia meal plan, so if he needs that, he'll have to move. Not sure if that's bc of the state certification for facility type or their choice. (This is not a SNF, but AL with a MC unit.)

Shane, I'm in Michigan. This is the first time I've heard of this as well. I didn't ask the agency b/c I was actually in somewhat of a state of shock, thinking of all the private duty agency reps with whom I had spoken who all said their staff could puree foods for clients.

Duck, this is the first I've ever heard of it as well.

The explanation was, more or less, that since it was related to dysphagia, it was an issue for a nurse to handle.

I wasn't asking for speech therapy, or swallowing exercises, just to puree foods. They explained their caregivers would feed clients (we don't need that) but could not puree the foods.

The more I thought about it, it really seemed odd to me. If it's true, then it would seem that kitchen staff in rehab or any other facility couldn't puree the food either, and I know that the rehab facility where Dad stayed didn't have nurses pureeing the food.

I'm still at a loss as to what's behind the claim.

Thanks for your input; I wish I'd had the presence of mind to ask the basis for their conclusion. If I speak with them again, I will ask.

I have never heard of this or had any mandatory training on how to puree food. I have never seen it as a requirement or listed in a skill set.  

I am a RN and haven’t ever heard this. I will have to research the Nurse Practice Act. What state are you in?
My curiosity is piqued.
Did you ask the agency if this is so and why?