title: Oral care in ventilated intensive care unit patients: Observing nursing behavior through standardization of oral hygiene tool placement.
abstract: A quality improvement project developed between 2 intensive care units using a quasiexperimental pre- and postintervention comparison between nonstandardized placement of oral care equipment in patient rooms and standardized placement of equipment in patient rooms. Daily assessments of equipment use were compared for the control (14 days) and the intervention (15 days) periods to identify a difference in the amount of equipment used by nurses. A significant increase in equipment use by nurses was observed after implementation of the intervention. Standardized design and supply of equipment in patient rooms may help to influence desired nursing behavior related to oral care for ventilated patients.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC. Electronic address: trevor.diaz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Trevor Lacovara
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Sarah Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Zanone
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Carleigh
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Charmo-Smith
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Houda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamoun
authors.affiliation: Medical Intensive Care Unit, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Anne Isabelle
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Barrais
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D009726:Nurses; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: Compliance; Mechanical ventilation; Quality improvement