Relying on nursing staff for oral hygiene care: A qualitative interpretive description study

Coker, Esther; Ploeg, Jenny; Kaasalainen, Sharon

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2020.06.015

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Another barrier to getting assistance was that the participants felt that the staff had many duties, and they did not want to nag or be a burden to the staff. Similar findings have also been described in recent studies [ 39 , 60 , 61 ]. One explanation for not wanting to burden the staff could be that when older people are used to managing their bodily care by themselves, without having to take another person’s availability into account, it can be difficult to acknowledge and accept the need for help [ 58 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Older people’s experiences of oral health and assisted daily oral care in short-term facilities

Koistinen

Ståhlnacke²,

Olai

et al. 2021

BMC Geriatr

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Older people’s oral health has improved, and many retain their natural teeth throughout their life. However, their daily oral care can be more difficult because of compromised general health and the reduced capacity for self-care that often comes with old age. More knowledge is needed about how older people view their oral health and oral care. The aim of this study was to describe how older people in short-term care experience their oral health and daily oral care. Method A descriptive, qualitative study was performed through interviews with 14 older people (74–95 years) recruited from short-term care units in two Swedish regions. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results The findings are described in one main category, three categories and nine sub-categories. The main category was Adapting to a changed oral condition while striving to retain independence. The first category, Wanting to manage daily oral care independently, contained three subcategories: Having always brushed my teeth without help, Being satisfied with my mouth and teeth, and Having to accept help if necessary. The second category, Acceptance of changes in oral condition, had three subcategories: Difficulty in chewing and swallowing, Difficulty with tooth brushing, and Not considering a dentist visit to be worth the cost. The third category, Barriers to receiving assistance from staff, had three subcategories: Staff lacking the time to help, Not wanting to be a burden, and Lack of confidence in staff’s knowledge. Conclusions The participants were generally satisfied with their oral health despite an expressed need for dental treatment. Daily oral care was something they wanted to manage themselves, and they had a strong desire to stay independent for as long as possible. Closer collaboration between dental and health care staff is necessary in order to implement clinical practice guidelines for oral health care and increase nursing staff’s attention towards older peoples’ oral health.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Older people’s experiences of oral health and assisted daily oral care in short-term facilities

Koistinen

Ståhlnacke²,

Olai

et al. 2021

BMC Geriatr

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Srinivasan reported that 93% of hospitalized elderly patients had their own toothbrushes, and that 72% brushed their teeth at least once a day since hospitalization, although these data need to be interpreted cautiously as they are reported by the patients themselves which could not be accurate [ 47 ]. In another paper, participants stated that their oral hygiene had worsened since hospitalization, as they lacked the motivation or were limited by physical barriers for toothbrushing, and they were open to being assisted with oral care [ 48 ]. Another study revealed that some elderly patients had given up on oral hygiene because they never thought about asking for help from a nurse, while others wanted to brush their teeth for as long as they could by themselves [ 49 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A possible cause for not providing oral cleanliness could be a lack of time, as there is a continuous need for prioritizing tasks, especially the administration of medications, which consumes most of the time [ 28 , 57 ]. Moreover, caregivers were worried about being perceived as disrespectful, and they were hesitant to intervene if not requested for help [ 48 ], as another study reported that approximately 50% of the patients declined the offer of assistance from the healthcare workers [ 28 ]. Nurses need more information about the systemic health benefits of oral care, and the skills to be able to perform adequate oral hygiene [ 28 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Need for Oral Hygiene Care and Periodontal Status among Hospitalized Gastric Cancer Patients

Nicolae

Bennardo

Barone

et al. 2022

JPM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Poor oral hygiene leads to the accumulation of dental plaque, thus contributing to the initiation of periodontal disease (PD). Local infections can lead to systemic inflammatory responses, which are essential mediators for the evolution of systemic conditions or cancer tumorigenesis. Often, patients hospitalized with life-threatening and incapacitating disorders such as gastric cancer (GC) might lose interest in keeping their mouth healthy. This study evaluates oral hygiene, periodontal status, and the need for oral care and medical personnel to assist in achieving it in patients hospitalized with GC. This study was carried out on 25 patients with a diagnosis of GC, divided into two groups (GP—14 patients from the Gastroenterology Department, and SP—11 patients from the 1st Department of Surgery). Patients were examined on the day of admission (T0), the day of the medical procedure of endoscopy or surgery (T1), and the day of discharge (T2), recording the number of absent teeth, dental plaque (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depths (PPD), frequency of toothbrushing, and if the oral hygiene had been self-performed or assisted. Data were subjected to statistical analysis. Our results showed that, in both the GP and the SP group, there were strong and statistically significant correlations between PI and BOP measured on the last day of hospitalization and the period of hospitalization after the medical procedure. Longer hospital stays and the presence of surgery were risk factors for changing toothbrushing frequency. Results also highlight the need for a dentist to diagnose and eventually treat periodontal disease before and after hospitalization, and for a trained nurse who should help take care of the patient’s oral hygiene during hospitalization.

show abstract

“…This definition highlights oral health as a fundamental component of physical and mental well-being based on the physiological, social and psychological attributes essential to the quality of life, which are influenced by a person's experiences, perceptions, expectations and ability to adapt to circumstances [7]. Oral care is closely related to health beliefs and values about personal hygiene [8] and is a part of the patients' illness narrative [9]. Despite the association between oral care and positive patient outcomes such as reduced risk of pneumonia and prevention of malnutrition [10], oral care is described as one of the most missed nursing care activities [11].…”

Section: Oral Health and Care As An Integrated Part Of Fundamental Nu...mentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Why doesn't anyone ask me’? Patients' experiences of receiving, performing and practices of oral care in an acute Orthopaedic Department

Rasmussen

Halberg

Jensen

2023

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aims and objectivesOral care is an integrated part of everyday life. Within nursing, barriers related to providing oral care often lead to unmet caring needs. Poor oral care is associated with a risk of respiratory and cardiovascular complications during hospitalisation. Knowledge on patients' perspectives of maintaining or receiving oral care during admissions are limited. Following the Fundamentals of Care (FOC) framework, this study uses a person‐centred approach to explore patients' perceptions and experiences of receiving or performing oral care, including the nursing staff's clinical practices.Methodological design and justificationA focussed ethnographic approach was used to explore patients' perspectives and clinical practices during acute admissions in an Orthopaedic Department.Ethics issues and approvalThe local Data Protection Agency and the Ethics Committee approved the study.Research methods, results and conclusionsData were collected in an Orthopaedic ward at a Copenhagen University hospital, Hvidovre, and consisted of 14 days of field observations of clinical practices and 15 patient interviews. Data were analysed inductively using qualitative content analysis. Two themes were identified. The first, ‘The purpose of oral care is defined by the eye of the beholder’, describes the social implications for the patients and how patients reject the assumption of oral care being a transgressive act. The second, ‘The unspoken need’, focus on the lack of dialogue, including the limited provision of oral care and how the nursing staff assesses patients' ability to perform oral care (in)dependently without including the patients.ConclusionOral care is related to the patient's psychological and physical well‐being and affects social appearance. When oral care is provided respectfully, patients do not experience oral care as a transgressive act. Nursing staff's self‐assessments of the patients' (in)dependency to perform oral care risk leading to incorrect care. Developing and implementing interventions applicable to the clinical practice is needed.

show abstract

Relying on nursing staff for oral hygiene care: A qualitative interpretive description study

Cited by 4 publications

References 20 publications

Older people’s experiences of oral health and assisted daily oral care in short-term facilities

Older people’s experiences of oral health and assisted daily oral care in short-term facilities

The Need for Oral Hygiene Care and Periodontal Status among Hospitalized Gastric Cancer Patients

‘Why doesn't anyone ask me’? Patients' experiences of receiving, performing and practices of oral care in an acute Orthopaedic Department

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About