Oral care practices and hospital-acquired pneumonia prevention: A national survey of Australian nurses.

Hospital acquired pneumonia Nursing Nursing, practical Oral hygiene Pneumonia

Journal

Infection, disease & health
ISSN: 2468-0869
Titre abrégé: Infect Dis Health
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 101689703

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
08 May 2024
Historique:
received: 19 02 2024
revised: 11 04 2024
accepted: 11 04 2024
medline: 10 5 2024
pubmed: 10 5 2024
entrez: 9 5 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) also known as non-ventilator associated pneumonia, is one of the most common infections acquired in hospitalised patients. Improving oral hygiene appears to reduce the incidence of HAP. This study aimed to describe current practices, barriers and facilitators, knowledge and educational preferences of registered nurses performing oral health care in the Australian hospital setting, with a focus on the prevention of HAP. We present this as a short research report. We undertook a cross sectional online anonymous survey of Australian registered nurses. Participants were recruited via electronic distribution through existing professional networks and social media. The survey used was modified from an existing survey on oral care practice. The survey was completed by 179 participants. Hand hygiene was considered a very important strategy to prevent pneumonia (n = 90, 58%), while 45% (n = 71) felt that oral care was very important. The most highly reported barriers for providing oral care included: an uncooperative patient; inadequate staffing; and a lack of oral hygiene requisite. Patients' reminders, prompts and the provision of toothbrushes were common ways believed to help facilitate improvements in oral care. Findings from this survey will be used in conjunction with consumer feedback, to help inform a planned multi-centre randomised trial, the Hospital Acquired Pneumonia PrEveNtion (HAPPEN) study, aimed at reducing the incidence of HAP. Findings may also be useful for informing studies and quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving oral care to reduce the incidence of HAP.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) also known as non-ventilator associated pneumonia, is one of the most common infections acquired in hospitalised patients. Improving oral hygiene appears to reduce the incidence of HAP. This study aimed to describe current practices, barriers and facilitators, knowledge and educational preferences of registered nurses performing oral health care in the Australian hospital setting, with a focus on the prevention of HAP. We present this as a short research report.
METHODS METHODS
We undertook a cross sectional online anonymous survey of Australian registered nurses. Participants were recruited via electronic distribution through existing professional networks and social media. The survey used was modified from an existing survey on oral care practice.
RESULTS RESULTS
The survey was completed by 179 participants. Hand hygiene was considered a very important strategy to prevent pneumonia (n = 90, 58%), while 45% (n = 71) felt that oral care was very important. The most highly reported barriers for providing oral care included: an uncooperative patient; inadequate staffing; and a lack of oral hygiene requisite. Patients' reminders, prompts and the provision of toothbrushes were common ways believed to help facilitate improvements in oral care.
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this survey will be used in conjunction with consumer feedback, to help inform a planned multi-centre randomised trial, the Hospital Acquired Pneumonia PrEveNtion (HAPPEN) study, aimed at reducing the incidence of HAP. Findings may also be useful for informing studies and quality improvement initiatives aimed at improving oral care to reduce the incidence of HAP.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2024.04.006 PMID: 38724299
pubmed: 38724299
pii: S2468-0451(24)00028-2
doi: 10.1016/j.idh.2024.04.006
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Auteurs

Peta Ellen Tehan (PE)

School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Nursing and Health, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia.

Katrina Browne (K)

School of Nursing and Health, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia.

Georgia Matterson (G)

School of Nursing and Health, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia.

Allen C Cheng (AC)

School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Infectious Diseases, Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia.

Sonja Dawson (S)

School of Nursing and Health, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia.

Nicholas Graves (N)

Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.

Douglas Johnson (D)

Infection Prevention and Surveillance Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Martin Kiernan (M)

School of Nursing and Health, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia; University of West London, London, UK.

Auxillia Madhuvu (A)

Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Caroline Marshall (C)

Infection Prevention and Surveillance Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Julee McDonagh (J)

University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Chronic & Complex Care Research (CCCCR), Ward B37, Blacktown Hospital, New South Wales, Australia; Western Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia.

Maria Northcote (M)

Research Services, Avondale University, New South Wales, Australia.

Jayne O'Connor (J)

Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia.

Liz Orr (L)

Infection Prevention and Surveillance Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Helen Rawson (H)

Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Philip Russo (P)

School of Nursing and Health, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia; Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Cabrini Health, Malvern, Victoria, Australia.

Jenny Sim (J)

School of Nursing, Midwifery & Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Andrew J Stewardson (AJ)

Department of Infectious Diseases, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Janet Wallace (J)

University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Nicole White (N)

Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Rhonda Wilson (R)

RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Coast Local Health District, Gosford Hospital, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia.

Brett G Mitchell (BG)

School of Nursing and Health, Avondale University, Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia; Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Central Coast Local Health District, Gosford Hospital, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: brett.mitchell@avondale.edu.au.

Classifications MeSH