Preston A J, Punekar S, Gosney M A
Department of Clinical Dental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5PS, UK.
Postgrad Med J. 2000 Feb;76(892):89-91. doi: 10.1136/pmj.76.892.89.
It is important that healthcare professionals caring for the elderly in hospitals have a core knowledge of the orodental care requirements of their patients. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and views of nurses working on acute and rehabilitation care of the elderly wards about orodental care. One hundred nurses and healthcare assistants took part in this questionnaire study of which 58 were qualified nurses and 70 had been employed on care of the elderly wards for two or more years. Although the majority of the respondents were registered with a dentist and attended regularly, 40 did have 'some anxiety' about visiting their dentist. Approximately half of the study population regularly gave advice to their patients about dental care but their knowledge of and reasons for providing oral care and advice was often incorrect. The group's understanding of the availability of dental treatment provided by the National Health Service was also often inaccurate. It was concluded that a better core knowledge of the orodental care of older patients is required by all healthcare professionals who care for this group. It is also important that individuals in whom anxiety is associated with their own dental experience do not neglect to give orodental health advice to their patients.
在医院照顾老年人的医护人员掌握患者口腔护理需求的核心知识很重要。本研究的目的是确定在老年病房从事急性和康复护理工作的护士对口腔护理的知识和看法。100名护士和医疗助理参与了这项问卷调查研究，其中58名是注册护士，70名在老年病房工作了两年或更长时间。尽管大多数受访者在牙医处登记并定期就诊，但40人在看牙医时确实“有些焦虑”。约一半的研究对象经常就牙齿护理向患者提供建议，但他们对口腔护理的知识以及提供建议的原因往往是错误的。该群体对国民医疗服务体系提供的牙科治疗的可及性的理解也常常不准确。研究得出结论，所有照顾老年患者的医护人员都需要更好地掌握老年患者口腔护理的核心知识。同样重要的是，那些因自身看牙经历而焦虑的人不要忽视向患者提供口腔健康建议。
