Oral Care Apparatus for Intubated Patients

Summary

There are several practical challenges in providing oral care to intubated patients. The presence of an endotracheal tube often makes it difficult to thoroughly evaluate the oral cavity, and there is a risk of tube displacement or removal during oral care. Additionally, the lack of standardized care protocols, limited time, and inadequate equipment further complicate the assessment of oral mucosal membranes, increase the likelihood of complications, and prolong ICU stays. The literature also highlights that intubated patients often exhibit behaviors such as gagging, biting the tube, or turning their head during oral care. These actions make it challenging for ICU nurses to use oral care tools effectively, resulting in insufficient evaluation and cleaning of the oral cavity. In a study conducted by Dale et al., ICU healthcare workers emphasized the need for an oral device that could withstand biting pressure, keep the teeth separated, and be flexible enough to prevent discomfort while enabling effective oral care. However, the literature does not report the existence of a device designed to open the oral cavity for intubated patients during oral care. Inspired by cheek retractors used in dentistry, this project aims to design an oral care retractor specifically for intubated patients. This device would facilitate the evaluation of the oral cavity and provide a clear view during oral care, enabling effective oral hygiene practices.

Conditions

• Intensive Care
• Oral Care
• Intubated ICU Patients

Interventions

OTHER

Intervention-Control

Nurses in this group will start the first oral care practice by using the oral care retractor on the model. Before starting the procedure, the nurses will fill in the 'Beck Mouth Assessment Guide' and after the procedure, they will fill in the 'Oral Care Practices Evaluation Form'. A rest period of at least 10 minutes will be provided before the second oral care application. Standard oral care will be applied during the second application. Similarly, nurses will complete the 'Beck Oral Assessment Guide' before the procedure and the 'Oral Care Practices Assessment Form' after the procedure. At the end of both procedures, nurses will complete the 'Quebec Assistive Technology User Satisfaction Assessment Questionnaire (Q-ATUSA)' and the 'Interview Form'. The 'Interview Form' will be used to collect nurses' experiences and opinions about the oral care procedure. During the interview, audio recordings will be made with the knowledge of the nurses.

OTHER

Control - intervention

In the first oral care procedure, nurses in this group will perform standard oral care on the model without using the oral care retractor. They will complete the 'Beck Oral Assessment Guide' before the procedure and the 'Oral Care Practices Evaluation Form' after the procedure. There will be a rest period of at least 10 minutes before the second oral care procedure. During this procedure, the second group of nurses who initially perform standard oral care will perform oral care using an oral care retractor. Similarly, they will complete the 'Beck Oral Assessment Guide' before the procedure and the 'Oral Care Practices Evaluation Form' after the procedure. At the end of both procedures, nurses will complete the 'Quebec Assistive Technology User Satisfaction Assessment Questionnaire (Q-ATUSA)' and the 'Interview Form'. The 'Interview Form' will be used to obtain nurses' experiences and opinions regarding oral care practices..

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-01-01

Primary Completion

2025-09-30

Completion

2025-12-01

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations