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Oral Hygiene In Intensive Care Units: A Survey On Protocol, Kayla J. Gallegos, Christine Nathe

Dental Hygiene ETDs

The purpose of this study was to learn about various Intensive Care Units’ current oral hygiene care protocols, nurses’ values, and interests in interprofessional collaboration with a dental professional. An online survey was created and intended recipients included 1,696 members of the Trauma ICU Nurses/Critical Care Medicine Facebook page. Participants were asked about their value of oral hygiene, oral hygiene education, and interest in interprofessional collaboration. Of the 1,696 nurses 34 (2%) opted to participate in this survey study. Findings from this study suggest that these nurses’ value oral health in themselves and in patients. Half of the survey participants …