ABSTRACT
The work load analysis for oral care in special nursing homes. Dental hygienists undertook oral care of 100 person who were confined to special nursing homes in Aichi prefecture, Japan. The time required, the physical load, the psychological burden were analysed. The results were summarized as follows; 1) Oral care by dental hygienist was incorporated as one of the 59 care tasks given in special nursing. 2) The working time for required oral care was 25.7 minutes per resident on an average. 3) In general, speaking to the elderly, recording on an assessment card, and observing conditions were undertaken most frequently. In oral care, tooth cleaning, gargling, cleaning of dentures, wiping of the mouth and advising those caring for the elderly, was performed most frequently. 4) In general, time taken for advising those caring for the elderly, report to the home dentistry, advising the elderly, recording, and evaluation was most common. In oral care by a dental hygienist, tooth cleaning, cleaning of the dentures, cleaning the mouth, gargling, prevention of dryness of the mouth were performed most frequently. 5) In physical activity, raising the person, moving him from the wheelchair to the bed and helping him to lie down were most frequent. In oral care by a dental hygienist, wiping the mouth, inserting dentures, tooth cleaning, cleaning the mouth and removing dentures were most common. 6) The psychological burden when lifting the person, moving him from the bed to the wheelchair and helping him to lie down was the greatest. In burden involving oral care by a dental hygienist, tooth cleaning, removing dentures, inserting dentures and cleaning the mouth were the greatest.
