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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Recurso digital |
| Language: | |
| Published: |
Zenodo
2025
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15259000 |
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Table of Contents:
- <p>Background: Maintaining oral hygiene among patients who are critically ill and on mechanical ventilation is often neglected, heightening the risk for developing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).</p> <p>Objective: Assessing the effect of a collaborative oral care protocol implemented by nurses and dental professionals on the oral hygiene and VAP rates of patients in the ICU.</p> <p>Methods: At the ICU of a tertiary hospital, a quasi-experimental pre-post study was designed. Dental professionals educated nursing staff and a systematic oral care protocol was introduced. VAP rates, oral hygiene scores, hand hygiene compliance, and protocol adherence were analyzed pre and post the intervention. </p> <p>Results: There has been a decreased incidence of VAP from 18.4 to 8.9 cases per 1000 ventilator days. The average oral health assessment reveals a marked improvement over the seven days. Nursing compliance with the entire oral care protocol increased from 28% to 86%.</p> <p>Conclusion: The incorporation of oral hygiene care in the ICU by different professionals, notably dentists, has raised the quality of care and the health outcomes of the patients. Preventable infections should be prioritized by integrating dental professionals into critical care teams.</p>