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Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Nurses towards Oral Care of Hospitalized Patients in Zimbabwe
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to evaluate oral healthcare knowledge, attitudes, and management of admitted patients by Registered General Nurses (RGNs). It sought to appreciate the scope of training in the oral health management of patients using RGNs and the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of RGNs in managing oral and maxillofacial conditions in admitted patients.
Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study used systematic random sampling to collect data using questionnaires at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare. One hundred and one RGNs participated in this study.
Results: The overall knowledge level of RGNs regarding oral and maxillofacial management of admitted patients was average. In addition, their general attitude regarding the oral and maxillofacial management of admitted patients was good, but their overall practice was considered fair.
Conclusion: These results show a disparity, with generally lower practices than self-perceived attitudes. Nurses should be equipped with a basic package of oral care for admitted patients through collaboration between oral health professionals and nursing professionals in research, training, and service.
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Introduction:
Untreated caries in mothers is one of the common risk factors for early childhood caries (ECC).
Aim:
The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of an oral health promotion program on ECC.
Methodology:
We conducted a pragmatic trial at 12 primary health centers in a rural community of India with 311 pregnant women using fluoride toothpaste, oral health information through pamphlets, and referral to urgent dental care or atraumatic dental treatment as the test intervention. Data were collected through structured interviews at baseline and oral examination of the children at 2 years of age.
Results:
Of the 311 women who participated, 274 children were followed up with at 2 years of age. ECC was low and comparable in both groups. When compared with the control group, significantly, more children from the intervention group were breastfed for over 6 months of age (P = 0.012) and consumed less sugar (P < 0.001). The number of mothers' decayed teeth (P = 0.01), children's sweet scores (P < 0.001), and the age at which brushing commenced for children (P = 0.04) increased the likelihood of tooth decay in children.
Conclusion:
The oral health promotion program had some beneficial effects in preventing caries in children when provided to pregnant women.
Due to a lack of knowledge about age-related hearing loss, its early identification and appropriate intervention are not being carried out in the field of dementia care. Since the untreated hearing loss of the elderly leads to a more rapid cognitive decline, the present study aimed to understand the hearing-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals in long-term care (LTC) facilities in Korea. A total of 557 workers (104 facility managers and 453 healthcare professionals) in residential LTC participated in this cross-sectional multicenter survey study. The Korean version of the knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) on-line survey with a five-point scale or yes/no response was applied as the experimental tool. The results of structural equation modeling showed that knowledge significantly affected the attitudes and health-seeking practices of the facility manager, and allied healthcare professionals demonstrated similar results, which showed the significant effects of that knowledge on attitudes and health-seeking practices. This clearly indicated that sufficient knowledge is the driving force for the health-seeking practices and positive attitudes of both the facility manager and the healthcare professionals. Thus, we suggest that a further step, such as the development of comprehensive and professional guidelines regarding hearing care information for these professionals in residential LTC facilities, should be followed, and believe that this effort could lead to improving hearing-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices in order to clinically and politically care for the elderly population.
Background
This study aimed to evaluate the associations among oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, practice (KAP), self-rated oral health and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Chinese college students.
Methods
Of the 2000 participants, 1751 (87.55%) students answered an online questionnaire between October 2019 and January 2020. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to oral health, self-rated oral health, and OHRQoL. Structural equation modelling was applied to assess the associations among study variables.
Results
Among the total students, oral health-related knowledge and attitudes were satisfactory, while the oral health practice was not optimistic. The final model showed satisfactory fitness to the data. Oral health knowledge was associated with attitudes directly and positively. Attitudes toward oral health had a direct and positive effect on practice. Oral health knowledge had an indirect effect on practice through attitudes. Oral health practice was directly associated with self-rated oral health. Oral health knowledge, practice, and self-rated oral health all affected OHRQoL directly and positively, while attitudes had a direct negative impact on OHRQoL.
Conclusions
OHRQoL was influenced by oral health knowledge, attitudes, practice, and self-rated oral health. Our findings support the KAP theory. Limitations of the KAP model were also found.
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of oral hygiene, periodontal diseases, and dental caries on all-cause mortality in hemodialysis. This prospective cohort study included 266 patients with end-stage renal disease who were undergoing hemodialysis. Medical interviews, blood biochemical tests, and comprehensive dental examinations including periodontal pocket examination on all teeth and dental plaque accumulation by debris index-simplified (DI-S), were performed. Survival rates were assessed at a 3-year follow-up. Overall, 207 patients were included in the longitudinal analysis, and 38 subjects died during the follow-up period. Cox proportional hazards analysis of the multivariate model demonstrated that the highest tertile of DI-S had a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality than the lowest two tertiles after adjustment for age, sex, smoking habit, body mass index, diabetes, prior cardiovascular disease, hemodialysis vintage, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, albumin, and number of remaining teeth (hazard ratio, 3.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.50–6.17; p = 0.002). Moreover, the number of decayed teeth significantly increased the hazard ratio to 1.21 (95% confidence interval, 1.06.1.37; p = 0.003). This study suggests that accumulated dental plaque and untreated decay, but not periodontal disease, may be independently associated with all-cause mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
Background:
aspiration pneumonia increases hospitalisation and mortality of older people in residential aged care.
Objectives:
determine potentially pathogenic microorganisms in oral specimens of older people with aspiration pneumonia and the effect of professional oral care in reducing aspiration pneumonia risk.
Data sources:
PUBMED/MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, COCHRANE, PROQUEST, Google Scholar, Web of Science.
Study eligibility criteria:
published between January 2001 and December 2019 addressing oral microorganisms, aspiration pneumonia, oral health and treatment.
Participants:
people 60 years and older in residential aged care.
Study appraisal and synthesis methods:
the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Intervention Trials checklist.
Results:
twelve studies (four cross-sectional, five cohort and three intervention) reported colonisation of the oral cavity of older people by microorganisms commonly associated with respiratory infections. Aspiration pneumonia occurred less in people who received professional oral care compared with no such care. Isolation of Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was related to mortality due to aspiration pneumonia. An interesting finding was isolation of Escherichia coli, a gut bacterium.
Limitations:
more information may be present in publications about other co-morbidities that did not meet inclusion criteria. A high degree of heterogeneity prevented a meta-analysis. Issues included sampling size, no power and effect size calculations; different oral health assessments; how oral specimens were analysed and how aspiration pneumonia was diagnosed.
Conclusions and implications of key findings:
pathogenic microorganisms colonising the oral microbiome are associated with aspiration pneumonia in older people in residential care; professional oral hygiene care is useful in reducing aspiration pneumonia risk.
Background:
This study aims to quantify the effectiveness of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP)-based rehabilitation education on the KAP of patients with intervertebral disc herniation (IDH).
Methods:
Seventy IDH patients undergoing conservative treatment in our center from February 2018 to December 2018 were randomly divided into the KAP group and control group by using a table of random numbers. The control group was given traditional health education, while the KAP group was offered with KAP-based rehabilitation education. Both groups were followed up for 3 months after their discharge from the hospital. A self-designed questionnaire form was used to evaluate the KAP quantities of patients.
Results:
Before health education, the scores of knowledge in the control group and the KAP group were (15.12±3.12) and (15.20±3.28), respectively, showing no significant difference (P>0.05). After the health education, the total score of knowledge, the score of disease knowledge, the score of attitude, and the score of practice were (25.42±3.16), (7.66±0.73), (7.80±0.36), and (7.85±0.68), respectively, in the KAP group, which were significantly higher than those in the control group [(20.31±3.43), (6.83±0.92), (6.41±1.05), and (7.10±1.11), P<0.05]. After health education, the awareness rates of the disease, attitude, and behavior were significantly higher in the KAP group than in the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusions:
Rehabilitation education based on the KAP theory can effectively enhance the patients' awareness of the disease, increase their rehabilitation consciousness, and promote them to adopt positive rehabilitation behavior, thus achieving the goal of changing the patients' KAP.
Aims and objectives:
To analyse oral care delivery in one hospital to through exploring experiences from both nurses' and patients' perspectives and examining patients' oral health.
Background:
Oral health problems are associated with undernutrition and other general health outcomes. Although oral care belongs to the essentials of nursing, it is often neglected. Improving oral health may require behaviour change of both nurses and patients. Defining tailored strategies need a clear view on the context.
Design:
A context analysis in one hospital using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design was reported following the EQUATOR guidelines using two checklists: COREQ (qualitative research) and STROBE (observational research).
Methods:
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 nurses and 11 patients. The topic-list was based on the Integrated Change Model. Prospective oral examination was performed among 91 surgical patients using the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT).
Results:
Nurses acknowledged that they did not prioritise oral care in daily practice. Furthermore, they lacked knowledge and skills to identify and provide care for oral problems. Nurses mentioned helpful resources to perform oral care, like standardised language and instruments. However, they had no access to or were unaware of them. Patients admitted that they did not prioritise oral care due to their sickness during hospitalisation, were unaware of the importance of oral care, but felt responsible for their oral care. The most prominent oral problems identified with the OHAT were unclean mouths (n=75, 82%), unhealthy gum and tissues (n=55, 60%), and dry mouth (n=42, 46%).
Conclusions:
This context analysis identified inadequate oral care due to lack of positive attitude and knowledge in both nurses and patients, skills for nurses, and resources.
Relevance to clinical practice:
The behavioural factors indicate strategies for development of a multicomponent intervention to improve oral care in this hospital, nutritional status and general health outcomes.
In this paper, common biases or errors in the construction of intervals under the Likert scaling methodology in
both odd and even scales are shown. Examples of researches that uses this scales especially in survey that
requires perception response from the respondents will be presented, discussed and analyzed for possible biases.
Suggestions for the corrections of these biases are presented in order to minimize the bias leading for a better
labeling and interpretations of the results.
Purpose of Review
There is an increasing body of evidence from epidemiology and laboratory investigations demonstrating periodontal disease as a risk factor for dementia. In particular, Porphyromonas gingivalis infections in animal models suggest causal associations with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This review focuses on how P. gingivalis infections promote the incidence of functional loss in AD.
Recent Findings
The risk of the sporadic form of AD doubles when periodontitis persists for ten or more years. AD differs from other forms of dementia in that the clinical signs together with the presence of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles must be present at autopsy. P. gingivalis oral infections in mice have demonstrated all of the characteristic pathological and clinical features of AD following infection of the brain.
Summary
Multiple factors (inflammation, Aβ oligomers, and bacterial factors) are likely to disrupt neuronal communication channels (synapses) as a plausible explanation for the functional loss.
BACKGROUND
Oral care of hospitalized patients is an important measure that aims to maintain and promote the health of oral and dental tissues. This study aimed to investigate nurses' attitudes and practices regarding oral care of hospitalized patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A cross-sectional, descriptive design was implemented. The research instrument was a self-administered questionnaire that was designed and distributed among 300 nurses working at five hospitals located in Riyadh.
RESULTS
Totally, 226 questionnaires were completed (response rate: 75%). Almost all participants (97.8%) think that providing oral hygiene is an important element of patient care and 90.7% think that nurses need to update their oral care knowledge and skills. Only 46% of the nurses reported the presence of a policy for oral care at their hospital unit and 55.3% indicated that patients are assessed for oral health at their department. About 56.2% of participants did not receive training on oral assessment and provision of oral care and a few nurses (2%) received training on oral care at their current job place. A large proportion of nurses (44%) expressed a desire to undergo training on oral care of hospitalized patients. Gender, nationality, and previous training were the most important predicators of a positive attitude.
CONCLUSIONS
The outcome of this study indicates a positive attitude among the surveyed nurses toward provision of oral care for hospitalized patients. Current oral care practice in Saudi hospitals is suboptimal. Saudi hospitals need to pay more efforts to train their nursing staff and issue clear policies and guidelines regarding oral care of hospitalized patients.
Introduction: Nurses are health role models, which includes oral health. A paucity of literature examining nurses’ attitudes and practices of their personal oral health status, which influences the oral care of patients exists.
Aim: To understand attitudes to oral self-care practices among nursing students related to oral health prevention at a South African university. This study formed part of a larger project examining health science students’ attitudes and practices of oral health self-care at a South African university.
Methodology: A cross sectional descriptive survey of 173 nursing students was conducted. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire adapted, with permission from the original authors, and analysed using the statistical software package for social sciences SPSS version 23.0 (IBM Corp., USA). Univariate descriptive statistics were employed including frequency and percentages for categorical data comparing responses by study year, using the Chi Square or Fisher’s exact test. Ethical approval was obtained (HSS/0139/016CA).
Results: Questionnaires were distributed to nursing students (N = 238), attaining a 73 per cent response rate (n = 173). Most respondents were female. Students perceived their own dental health to be good/excellent, but reported gum bleeds during dental flossing. Ninety nine per cent (n = 170) used toothpaste and a toothbrush, taking one to five minutes brushing twice daily, and replaced toothbrushes tri-monthly. The most used dental aid was toothpicks. More than half respondents had not visited a dentist in the preceding year and those that did, only did so when needed. The curriculum influenced respondents’ oral self-care practices.
Conclusion: An awareness of the importance of oral health and its link to general health exists, as do inconsistencies in oral self-care practices.
Recommendation: Curriculum review ensuring oral disease prevention and health promotion are included.
Keywords: Oral self-care, Oral self-care attitudes, Oral self-care practices, Oral health care role modelling.
Aims: The aims of this study are to describe the scope of “non-nursing duties” carried out by nurses, in rural low-resource regions of Tanzania, and describe how the role of nurses is viewed in their communities.
Background: More than 70% of Tanzanians live in rural areas. Nurses are more likely than physicians to practice in these communities. As a result nurses are frequently forced to function beyond their educational preparation and expand their practice to meet the health needs of the community.
Design: This exploratory study sampled two randomly selected district hospitals, with associated health centers and dispensaries (small village clinics), in each of the four target-regions (Tanga, Mtwara, Singida, and Shinyanga).
Methods: In November 2014, members of the Faculty of Nursing at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University–College (KCMUCo) in Moshi, Tanzania interviewed nurses, health facility managers, non-nurse health professionals, and health service consumers.
Results/findings: Nurses at all levels of education, with or without additional training, are prescribing for patients and performing minor surgical procedures, well beyond their educational preparation. The consensus by all participants is that nurses should receive training in skills to provide primary care as a solution to the lack of providers.
Conclusion: Strengthening health services by advancing the nurses’ role is an innovative way to improve health care outcomes in Tanzania.
Background and objective: Nursing students play an important role in oral health promotion, after they graduate and start working within the health care system. The aim of this study was to determine the oral health behaviour, knowledge, and attitude among Danish senior nursing students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among students at the Education of Nurses, VIA University College, Aarhus, Denmark, using an electronic questionnaire consisting of 22 questions regarding oral health behaviour, knowledge, and attitude.Results: One hundred students completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 79%. A majority of the students brushed their teeth twice daily (89%), visited the dentist at least once a year (55%), and described their teeth and gingiva as extremely good or very good (80%). The students had good oral health knowledge regarding plaque and dental caries. However, the knowledge about periodontal diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis was insufficient. Nearly all students stated that oral health is an important part of nursing care (97%) and important for the general health (87%). Over half of the students (64%) thought that oral health training should be updated and expanded in the nursing education.Conclusions: The participating students had good oral care behaviour. In some areas, the students had adequate oral health knowledge, while the knowledge about especially periodontal disease was insufficient. The majority of the students had a positive attitude toward oral health and wanted oral health training to be prioritised in the nursing education.
Wound healing is a primary survival mechanism that is largely taken for granted. The literature includes relatively little information about disturbed wound healing, and there is no acceptable classification describing wound healing process in the oral region. Wound healing comprises a sequence of complex biological processes. All tissues follow an essentially identical pattern to complete the healing process with minimal scar formation. The oral cavity is a remarkable environment in which wound healing occurs in warm oral fluid containing millions of microorganisms. The present review provides a basic overview of the wound healing process and with a discussion of the local and general factors that play roles in achieving efficient would healing. Results of oral cavity wound healing can vary from a clinically healed wound without scar formation and with histologically normal connective tissue under epithelial cells to extreme forms of trismus caused by fibrosis. Many local and general factors affect oral wound healing, and an improved understanding of these factors will help to address issues that lead to poor oral wound healing.
Objective: The objective of the study was to assess and compare the oral health knowledge, attitude, and behavior of medical, pharmacy, and nursing students at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Subjects and Methods: A total of 189 students including 94 males and 95 females involved in the cross-sectional surveyed. Data were collected using pretested, self-administered, structured questionnaire. The mean percentage scores, standard deviation, and frequency distribution were calculated. The Student′s t-test and ANOVA test were used to test the association between variables. The linear regression analysis was used to establish any association of behavior with knowledge and attitude.
Results: The total mean percentage scores for knowledge, attitude, and behavior were more than 50% among the students. The mean percentage scores for knowledge, attitude, and behavior were significantly higher for the medical students compared to pharmacy and nursing students. All the scores were significantly higher in females than in males except for the mean score of knowledge. There was no significant association between knowledge, attitude, and behavior with age. Linear regression analysis showed a significant linear relationship between behavior and attitude, but there was no significant linear relation between behavior and knowledge.
Conclusion: The present study indicates that although the mean scores for knowledge, attitude, and behavior were more than 50% among the participants, the students′ oral health knowledge, attitude, and behavior was inadequate and needs to be improved upon. The study also revealed that attitude is a determinant of oral health behavior among the students.
Objective:
To assess the level of knowledge and difficulties concerning hospitalized patients regarding preventive oral health measures among professionals working in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
Study Population and Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 71 health professionals working in the ICU. A self-administered questionnaire was used to determine the methods used, frequency, and attitude toward oral care provided to patients in Brazilian ICUs. The variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentages). A one-sample t-test between proportions was used to assess significant differences between percentages. t-statistics were considered statistically significant for P < 0.05. Bonferroni correction was applied to account for multiple testing.
Results:
Most participants were nursing professionals (80.3%) working 12-h shifts in the ICU (70.4%); about 87.3% and 66.2% reported having knowledge about coated tongue and nosocomial pneumonia, respectively (P < 0.05). Most reported using spatulas, gauze, and toothbrushes (49.3%) or only toothbrushes (28.2%) with 0.12% chlorhexidine (49.3%) to sanitize the oral cavity of ICU patients (P < 0.01). Most professionals felt that adequate time was available to provide oral care to ICU patients and that oral care was a priority for mechanically ventilated patients (80.3% and 83.1%, respectively, P < 0.05). However, most professionals (56.4%) reported feeling that the oral cavity was difficult to clean (P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
The survey results suggest that additional education is necessary to increase awareness among ICU professionals of the association between dental plaque and systemic conditions of patients, to standardize oral care protocols, and to promote the oral health of patients in ICUs.
The aim of this study was to describe the intensive care unit (ICU) nurses’ knowledge, attitude, and practice of mouth care for their patients. This is a cross sectional hospital based study. A total of 154 ICU nurses were randomly selected from seven governmental hospitals in Khartoum state and were invited to take part in this study. 97.4% of ICU nurses had high knowledge of the importance of mouth care for ICU patients and similarly for the priority of mouth care. However, only 20% of nurses were found to apply good practice. 64.5% of the nurses received training in mouth care provision, and (81%) indicated that further training would be beneficial. The oral care practice of ICU nurses ranged between average among 57% and poor among 23%. The study highlighted the need for setting of ICU protocols and adoption of advanced training for ICU nurses.
PurposeThis study was conducted to determine the attitudes and practices of nurses working in intensive care units of four different hospitals regarding oral care.Methods
One hundred eighty-five nurses who worked in adult intensive care units comprised the sample of this cross-sectional descriptive study.Conclusion
It can be said that intensive care nurses perform oral care without an oral care protocol and assessment guideline, and that the methods and frequency of oral care and solutions and tools used for oral care differ from one institution to another.Implications for Nursing PracticeThe results emphasized the need for continuing training in this area.AmaçBu araştırma, dört farklı hastanede yoğun bakım ünitelerinde çalışan hemşirelerin ağız bakımına ilişkin tutum ve uygulamalarını saptamak amacıyla yapılmıştır.YöntemKesitsel tanımlayıcı tipteki bu çalışmanın örneklemini yetişkin yoğun bakım ünitelerinde çalışan 185 hemşire oluşturmuştur. Verilerin değerlendirilmesinde yüzdelik dağılım ve ki-kare testi kullanılmıştır.SonuçYoğun bakım hemşirelerinin değerlendirme rehberi ve protokolü olmadan ağız bakımı yaptığı, ağız bakım yöntem, sıklık, solüsyon ve araçlarının kurumlara göre farklılık gösterdiği söylenebilir.Hemşirelik uygulamalari için önerilerSonuçlar bu alanda sürekli eğitime ihtiyaç olduğunu vurgulamaktadır.
There exists a gaping rift between the available dental services and the need for dental care in communities, giving rise to the 'inverse care law'. WHO in collaboration with the University of Nijmegen, worked along the principles of Primary Health Care (PHC) to give the Basic Package of Oral Care (BPOC) which is designed to cater to the dental needs of outreach populations within the confines of minimum resources such as lack of electricity and dental setup, for a maximum effect of providing emergency, preventive and curative dental care. Implementing BPOC with prudent use of existing PHC workforce, local resources and collaboration with NGOs could be the best answer to tackling the dental needs of communities.
Background: Maintaining good oral health among hospitalized individuals is essential for health outcomes and quality of life. Nurses, being the primary oral care givers require adequate knowledge, attitude and practice in this area to provide effective oral health care. However, limited studies have been undertaken to evaluate this aspect of nursing care in India.
Aim: To determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of nurses regarding oral care for hospitalized patients.
Design: Cross-sectional survey.
Methods: A total of 244 nurses working in a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore, South India were purposively recruited for this study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire with both closed and open ended questions about knowledge, attitude and practice regarding oral care.
Results: The mean oral health knowledge score was 6.74 out of maximum score of 22. Most nurses were aware of the importance of oral care among inpatients and the effect poor oral hygiene and systemic diseases have on oral health. Deficiencies in knowledge were prevalent in areas including common medications that affect oral health and regarding care of dentures. Nurses, with higher nursing qualifications and working in departments with longer length of stay had higher attitude scores. Most nurses assessed oral health needs within 24hrs of admission, and this was associated with supplies available, department of shorter length of stay and oral health knowledge. However, there were inconsistencies in the oral health assessment and care protocols followed and documentation.
Conclusion: Nurses’ attitude towards oral health was positive yet their knowledge in specific aspects of care was inadequate. Their oral health practices and documentation needs improvement.
Impact statement: This paper highlights strengths and weaknesses in the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses in an Indian hospital setting.
Inadequate oral care in long-term care (LTC) facilities compromises the quality of life of residents. This study assessed oral care knowledge of, and challenges experienced by, nurses and allied nursing staff (ANS) in a LTC facility in Canada. Dentists and nursing staff used the findings to implement strategies for improved care. Using a sequential mixed method design, data on oral care knowledge and practices were collected using self-administered questionnaires (n = 114) and focused groups (n = 39). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. While participants (>80%) felt knowledgeable and confident in providing oral care, they desired improved skills to overcome resistive behavior, communication, and wanted adapted oral care materials. Implemented strategies included skills-acquisition workshop, oral care posters, and oral health champion. Overall, our interprofessional collaboration increased awareness of the need for oral care training, and implemented strategies to help nursing staff overcome barriers in providing care.
The curriculum for nurse practitioner (NP) students often overlooks the assessment of the oral cavity. In recognition of this, the HEENT (head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat) assessment was expanded to HEENOT (head, ears, eyes, nose, oral, and throat) through integration of an interprofessional educational (IPE) activity developed for University of Colorado NP and dental students. The aim of this study was to assess NP students' perceptions of an IPE activity in which dental faculty and students taught NP students how to conduct an oral exam, recognize oral health pathology, and apply fluoride varnish. Afterwards, the NP students completed an evaluation survey focusing on their thoughts, comfort level, organization, and understanding of the activity. This IPE activity was repeated over four semesters from 2014 to 2017, and significant differences among the semesters were compared. All NP students in the four semesters participated in the activity and the survey: semester one N=25, semester two N=31, semester three N=43, and semester four N=25. In all semesters, NP students reported feeling more confident conducting oral health exams after completion of the IPE activity. Semester four students agreed more with the idea of interprofessional collaboration (OR: 0.103) and receiving educational information not learned elsewhere in the curriculum (OR: 0.134) compared to semester one students. Higher odds for the session being well organized and conducted in a suitable time were found for semester four compared to semester two (OR: 0.217). These comparisons reflect improvement in teaching methodologies over the four semesters and an overall increased confidence for NP students in performing an oral health assessment.
Oral health is closely related to systemic health. Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease which is highly prevalent worldwide, interacts with a variety of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). It is a risk factor in the complex pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease and plays a role in the development of endocarditis and recurrent pneumonia in elderly people. However, the available data may be interpreted in different ways, and more and better-designed studies are still needed to answer relevant questions about the causal role of periodontitis in NCDs. What is clear is that periodontitis contributes to the systemic inflammatory burden. As periodontitis shares many common risk factors with NCDs, close collaboration between physicians and dentists is needed to increase the chance of early detection and improve the prevention and control of these conditions.
Background:
This study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of medical nurses regarding oral health and oral health care of pregnant women.
Methods:
This cross sectional study of 133 nurses in the district of Tumpat, Kelantan (Malaysia) used self-administered questionnaires.
Results:
Most nurses knew that dental plaque is associated with periodontal disease (97.7%). However, most nurses erroneously believed that tooth decay (86.5%) and excessive sugar consumption (87.2%) led to periodontal disease. About half of the nurses knew about the relationship between periodontal disease of pregnant women and low birth weight (43.6%) and preterm birth (48.9%). Many nurses had the misconception that the developing foetus draws calcium from the mothers' teeth (78.2%). Most nurses had good attitudes toward improving their oral health knowledge (97.0%) and agreed they should help to deliver oral health education to pregnant women (94.0%). Age, length of service as a nurse, and length of service in antenatal care had no effect on the scores for the nurses' knowledge and attitude regarding oral health and oral health care of pregnant women.
Conclusion:
Medical nurses had limited knowledge about oral health of pregnant women and had some misunderstandings about oral health, although they had good attitudes. Age, length of service as a nurse, and length service in antenatal care had no effect on the knowledge and attitude scores of the nurses.
The process of wound healing is complicated and requires optimization of wound bed conditions locally through wound management and systemically through proper nutritional care. Although there are a variety of local and systemic factors that can adversely influence healing, the wound environment can be treated through proper dressings to decrease necrotic debris, bacterial load, and foreign bodies. In addition, maintaining or improving patient nutritional status will help the body to supply the necessary building blocks and cellular response for healing to take place.
This article describes nursing in Zimbabwe within the context of primary health care, delineating various levels of delivery of nursing practice, educational preparation levels and implications for practice. This picture is intended to capture the quality of nursing care that is congruent to clients' expectations of the ever-changing Zimbabwean society. Nursing programs at various levels include health assessment, nursing process and nursing research. Clinical specialization including functional majors such as nursing education, nursing administration as well as health economics and budgeting have greater emphasis at the Masters level. The practice of nursing assists individuals, groups and communities to attain the ability to exercise their self-care to enhance health promotion.
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