Jones H, Newton J T, Bower E J
Department of Oral Health Services Research & Dental Public Health, GKT Dental Institute, Caldecot Road, London SE5 9RW, UK.
Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 2004 Apr;20(2):69-76. doi: 10.1016/j.iccn.2004.01.004.
Intensive care unit (ICU) patients have complex oral care needs. Inadequate oral care may predispose ICU patients to nosocomial infections. Recent initiatives have sought to improve the quality and evidence base of ICU oral care provision.
To describe the current priority given to oral care, the knowledge and practice of oral needs assessment and oral care methods, and adherence to the local ICU oral care protocol of ICU nurses working in one hospital.
Self-administered questionnaire survey of all nurses working in adult ICU ( n = 160 ).
Replies were received from 103 (response rate 64.5%). On average, oral care was given a similar priority to other aspects of personal care. 13.5% nurses rated oral care as a low priority. Whilst 98% nurses routinely performed an oral needs assessment, only 26% used a written assessment tool. Toothbrushes were used at least once a day by 85.5% nurses and chlorhexidine products were routinely used by 50.5% nurses. The oral care practices of most nurses matched the local ICU protocol. 23.5% nurses had received no training in oral care and 58% nurses requested initial/further training.
Most oral care methods were appropriate, based on the available evidence. A small minority of nurses gave oral care a low priority and were not using evidence-based oral care methods recommended in the local ICU protocol. Encouraging the general use of oral needs assessment tools is a priority, and further oral care training is required.
重症监护病房（ICU）患者有复杂的口腔护理需求。口腔护理不足可能使ICU患者易发生医院感染。最近的举措旨在提高ICU口腔护理的质量和证据基础。
描述目前给予口腔护理的优先级、口腔需求评估和口腔护理方法的知识与实践，以及一家医院的ICU护士对当地ICU口腔护理方案的依从性。
对在成人ICU工作的所有护士（n = 160）进行自填式问卷调查。
收到103份回复（回复率64.5%）。平均而言，口腔护理与个人护理的其他方面被给予相似的优先级。13.5%的护士将口腔护理列为低优先级。虽然98%的护士常规进行口腔需求评估，但只有26%的护士使用书面评估工具。85.5%的护士每天至少使用一次牙刷，50.5%的护士常规使用洗必泰产品。大多数护士的口腔护理实践符合当地ICU方案。23.5%的护士未接受过口腔护理培训，58%的护士要求进行初始/进一步培训。
根据现有证据，大多数口腔护理方法是合适的。一小部分护士将口腔护理列为低优先级，且未采用当地ICU方案中推荐的循证口腔护理方法。优先鼓励普遍使用口腔需求评估工具，并且需要进一步的口腔护理培训。
