Oral care frequency of patients with intensive care needs after surgery: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Although oral care for critical patients when applied effectively, minimizes important health risks, no study has been found that determines the oral care frequentness after surgery. This study was conducted to determine the oral care frequentness requirements and related factors of surgical patients admitted to the postoperative intensive care unit. It was a cross-sectional study. It was conducted with 110 surgical patients who were hospitalized in the postoperative intensive care unit and whose oral care was not yet performed within the first 6 hours. “Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Form” and “Intensive Care Oral Care Frequency Assessment Scale” were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square automatic interaction detection analysis were applied in the analysis of the data. The mean score of the Intensive Care Oral Care Frequency Assessment Scale of the patients after surgery was 21.60±3.02. The oral care needs frequency score of 23.6% of the patients was between 10-19 points, they were identified as needing oral care should be at least 8 to 12 hours, and oral care needs of 76.4% were between 20-29 points and they were identified as needing oral care should be at least 6 hours. It was determined that the oral care frequentness score of the patients over 65 was higher than the other age groups and it was statistically significant that they needed oral care should be at least 6 hours (p<0.001). In addition, it was determined that the oral care frequentness increased in patients aged 65 and over, who had been intubated, and had undergone general surgery, cardiovascular surgery, and urological surgery (p=0.008). This study showed that surgical patients who need intensive care after surgery had increased oral care frequentness care needs and had certain surgical risk factors that negatively affect their oral health.