Oral hygiene care and charting compliance for oncology units
Disciplines
Critical Care Nursing | Dental Hygiene | Dental Public Health and Education
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Background: Oncology patients often go through intense treatments of radiation and chemotherapy, which lead to systemic changes throughout the body. The oral cavity is largely impacted and affects how patients taste, eat, and defend their bodies against infection. Common oral infections in cancer patients are mucositis, xerostomia, and thrush. These usually occur because of inadequate oral hygiene and can lead to delays in treatment. This study aims to improve nurse education and documentation compliance on oral care each shift. Literature review: A majority of oncology patients who receive chemotherapy and radiation treatment experience permanent dental damage after a year of treatment due to the chemicals affect on the body. These patients usually require extractions or surgical intervention to prevent further damage to the oral cavity. Some literature has even stated that patients should be educated on all the oral care methods and should be performing multiple forms of oral care to evade possible infections. Studies have shown how frequency, education, and methods improved patient outcomes and reduced hospital-acquired infections. Methods: Nurse and care staff education for all oral care methods and materials will be taught and evaluated on the CBL training platform. Staff will review all the prevention methods and where to locate any necessary supplies together at each monthly meeting, and how to chart oral care in the system. Evaluation: Nurses and staff at the end of the CBL will take a short quiz to evaluate their comprehension of the material. The impact of the teachings will be measured by the compliance of staff charting oral care in the Powerchart system. The goal is to have compliance at 80%. If compliance does not reach 80%, signage will be posted in patients' rooms to remind staff and patients about the importance of oral care.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
WCHHS - Nursing
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Christie Emerson
Oral hygiene care and charting compliance for oncology units
Background: Oncology patients often go through intense treatments of radiation and chemotherapy, which lead to systemic changes throughout the body. The oral cavity is largely impacted and affects how patients taste, eat, and defend their bodies against infection. Common oral infections in cancer patients are mucositis, xerostomia, and thrush. These usually occur because of inadequate oral hygiene and can lead to delays in treatment. This study aims to improve nurse education and documentation compliance on oral care each shift. Literature review: A majority of oncology patients who receive chemotherapy and radiation treatment experience permanent dental damage after a year of treatment due to the chemicals affect on the body. These patients usually require extractions or surgical intervention to prevent further damage to the oral cavity. Some literature has even stated that patients should be educated on all the oral care methods and should be performing multiple forms of oral care to evade possible infections. Studies have shown how frequency, education, and methods improved patient outcomes and reduced hospital-acquired infections. Methods: Nurse and care staff education for all oral care methods and materials will be taught and evaluated on the CBL training platform. Staff will review all the prevention methods and where to locate any necessary supplies together at each monthly meeting, and how to chart oral care in the system. Evaluation: Nurses and staff at the end of the CBL will take a short quiz to evaluate their comprehension of the material. The impact of the teachings will be measured by the compliance of staff charting oral care in the Powerchart system. The goal is to have compliance at 80%. If compliance does not reach 80%, signage will be posted in patients' rooms to remind staff and patients about the importance of oral care.