ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Nurses have not been formally trained in assessing the oral status of patients in intensive care units, and no oral care protocols for these patients are available. OBJECTIVES: To assess the oral status of patients in an intensive care unit, evaluate the effects of a defined oral care protocol on the oral health status of patients in an intensive care unit, and compare oral assessments of a dental hygienist with those of intensive care nurses. METHODS: A nonequivalent comparison group, longitudinal design with repeated measures was used. In phase 1, oral assessment data on the comparison group were collected by a dental hygienist. In phase 2, nurses were instructed in oral assessment and an oral care protocol. In phase 3, the oral care protocol was implemented in the treatment group, and oral assessment data were collected separately by the dental hygienist and by nurses. RESULTS: The mean inflammation score was significantly lower (t test P = .03) in the treatment group (mean, 3.9; SEM, 3.0) than in the comparison group (mean, 12.4; SEM, 2.2). Although not significant, the mean scores of the treatment group were also lower than those of the comparison group on scales of candidiasis, purulence, bleeding, and plaque. Correlations between scores for individual items on the oral assessment tool obtained by the dental hygienist and those obtained by nurses were all greater than 0.6386. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a well-developed oral care protocol by bedside nurses can improve oral health of patients in the intensive care unit.
Subject(s)
Critical Care/methods , Education, Nursing, Continuing/organization & administration , Inservice Training/organization & administration , Nursing Assessment/methods , Nursing Staff, Hospital/education , Oral Hygiene , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Clinical Protocols , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Middle Aged , Nursing Education Research , Nursing Evaluation Research , Oral Hygiene/education , Oral Hygiene/methods , Oral Hygiene/nursing , Oral Hygiene IndexABSTRACT
The study of critical care issues in pediatric rheumatology is in its infancy, and the available literature is largely case studies and small retrospective series. A child's limited communication skills and the lack of understanding of disease consequences by both parent and child may cause both overuse and underuse of emergency services. To the extent that small case experiences in children with rheumatic diseases do not adequately reflect possible disease presentations or diagnostic and treatment options, pediatric and adult rheumatologists, intensivists, and emergency physicians should readily turn as needed to larger reported experiences in adults with similar conditions.
Subject(s)
Critical Care , Emergency Medicine , Rheumatic Diseases/complications , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Humans , Rheumatic Diseases/therapyABSTRACT
We report a 6-week-old boy with meperidine neurotoxicity. What distinguished our patient from those previously reported was his minimal exposure to therapeutic doses of meperidine in the setting of normal renal function, and no history of sickle cell anemia, cancer, hepatitis, or cirrhosis. In addition, our patient had no abnormal changes in the electroencephalogram during the event. After only 2 doses of meperidine, he exhibited acute orofacial dyskinesias consisting of tongue thrusting, lip pursing, and facial grimacing combined with prominent flexion of the arms and stiffening of his legs. However, a normal sucking response remained. His symptoms resolved over the next 36 hours and did not respond to naloxone. We believe that this unique presentation of meperidine-induced neurotoxicity may be due to changes in the basal ganglia resulting from perinatal hypoxemia.
