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MEMBER RESEARCH
Nurses & Healthcare Assistants Attitides & Activities re Oral Hygiene Care for the Older Person with Intellectual Disabilities Oral care is essential for quality of life and in particular activities such as eating, speaking, communication and personal relationships, writes Hannah Carry. I conducted a survey and examined the types of oral health care (OHC) provided by registered nurses and healthcare assistants and the difficulties experienced while performing oral health care were surveyed. Many people in Ireland with intellectual disabilities (ID) living into old age (Kelly et al 2010, McCarron et al 2011, Jenkins 2012) have difficulty maintaining oral health due to related physical, sensory limitations and cognitive decline. NIDD (2012), predict an increase of this population over the coming years. The importance of oral health and its impact on overall health and wellbeing is nationally and internationally recognised (Crowley et al 2003, Peterson and Kwan 2004, Petersen and Yamamoto 2005, Haveman 2010, Heath et al. 2011) Findings In all, 161 questionnaires were distributed and 87 were returned. Two residential sites participated in the study. Respondents recognised the importance of oral health care and positively engaged in the practice. They were asked to answer yes or no in respect of the following difficulties they can encounter in administering oral hygiene care. Those answering in the positive were as follows 74.4% - resident not opening their mouth 68.6% - difficulty with resident biting toothbrush 22.1% - resident biting staff 33.7% - resident kick or biting 74.4% - resident refusing oral care 33.7% - resident spitting 76.7% - resident not rinsing 37% - other difficulties The further difficulties reported included not liking wearing dentures, shouting, attempting to pinch or scratch, swallowing toothpaste, breath freshness, partial cleaning due to poor co-operation, pain association. This study met its aim by evaluating RNs and HCAs ‘attitudes and activities’ of OHC for the older person with ID. Many authors had alluded to the fact that OHC was not given high priority within ID services (Crowley et al. 2003, Doyle and Dalton 2008), this study is of a different view in that:
NHI Bursary The purpose of the NHI bursary is to highlight and publicise research and practice development initiatives which have taken place in member nursing homes to assist NHI in profiling the expertise/activities of nursing and care staff working in the private and voluntary sector. The criteria, role of the applicant in respect of the bursary and the role of NHI is defined in the members section of the NHI website in the nursing section under Bursaries 2013. Bursary requests can be submitted to practicedevelopment@nhi.ie. Please be advised the research has been brought together by parties independent of NHI and the views & opinions expressed are not necessarily those of NHI.
1. A positive approach to OHC by the respondents was found 2. 79% recognised the importance of OHC 3. 82% positively engaged in the practice of OHC In addition: 1. Environmental factors, time and adequate equipment supported the implementation and successful approach to assisting with OHC 2. 92% of the older person with an ID required some level of support 3. The wearing of gloves was practised by 75% of respondents Maintenance of infection control and standard precautions is an essential component of nursing and health care practice and in that light, 100% compliance with the wearing of gloves would be recommended. Although this study was undertaken in intellectual disability services, it has implications for practice in many healthcare settings such as nursing homes. The wearing of gloves was practised by 75% of respondents. This study cannot be generalised to all residential care settings because two sites were used within one organisation, but it provides preliminary information for future research There was no question on the questionnaire recording the level of ID and types of disabilities experienced by the older person with an ID, which could have been compared and contrasted with the level of difficulties encountered in providing OHC
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