Current status and future prospects for oral care education in Bachelor of Nursing curriculums: A Japanese cross‐sectional study

Aspiration pneumonia in nursing literature-a mapping review

Introduction

Aspiration pneumonia (AP) is an infection of the lungs caused by inhalation of material. The reported incidences vary across literature and clinical populations and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Management of AP is best carried out by a multidisciplinary team.

Methods

This aim of this review was to collate and describe the available evidence on AP to develop a greater understanding of the concept of AP as it is represented in the nursing literature. As a collaborative team, we undertook the six stages of a systematic mapping review. We searched for the term aspiration pneumonia in 200 peer reviewed nursing journals across 10 databases, over a ten-year period (2013-2023).

Results

In this review, 293 papers were coded. Dysphagia, oral health and tube feeding emerged as the most frequent risk factors for AP, and the most reported factors for preventing this condition. Mortality was the most commonly described consequence of AP, followed by hospitalisations and morbidity. Multiple management approaches were reported including dysphagia assessment, risk evaluation, oral care and texture modification of food and fluids. The role of nurses and interprofessional collaborations were described.

Discussion

Despite limited evidence related to the topic of AP in the nursing literature, the complexity of the causes, prevention, management and consequences of AP emerged. Certain factors, such as dysphagia, oral health, and tube feeding, were described under prevention, cause and management of AP. The importance of multidisciplinary approach in the management and prevention of AP was presented.

Impact of oral health management by nurses and dental professionals on oral health status in inpatients eligible for the Nutrition Support Team: A longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

As the participation of dental professionals in multidisciplinary care is often limited, instructions on oral health management provided by dental professionals to other professionals are important to achieve transdisciplinary oral health management; however, the effectiveness of such instructions remains unclear. In this longitudinal study, we aimed to determine the impact of oral health management provided by dental professionals and nurses instructed on oral health management by dental professionals on the oral health of inpatients eligible for a Nurition Support Team (NST).

METHODS

The study participants were 117 patients (66 men and 51 women, mean age: 71.9 ± 12.5 years) who received oral health management during the NST intervention period. The participants received oral health management from nurses (Ns group) or dental professionals (D group). The nurses who conducted the oral health management received instructions from dental professionals. Oral health was assessed at the beginning and end of the NST intervention using the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT).

RESULT

The Ns and D groups showed significant improvements in the total OHAT scores at the end of the NST intervention. Both groups showed significant improvements in the OHAT subitems of lip, tongue, gums and tissues, saliva, oral cleanliness and dental pain, while only the D group showed a significant improvement in the denture subitem.

CONCLUSION

Effective oral health management provided by dental professionals or by nurses trained by them improved the oral health status of inpatients eligible for NST at an acute-care hospital.