Table 2.
Percentage distribution of nurses practice on oral care (n = 173)
| Items | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Interval for assessing patient’s oral hygiene | ||
| 2 h | 43 | 24.9 |
| 4 h | 49 | 28.3 |
| 6 h | 29 | 16.8 |
| 8 h | 24 | 13.9 |
| 12 h | 11 | 6.4 |
| UC | 17 | 9.8 |
| First time of oral care | ||
| 6 h after operation | 17 | 9.8 |
| Follow the doctor’s orders | 66 | 38.2 |
| UC | 90 | 52.0 |
| Frequency of oral care | ||
| Once a day | 4 | 2.3 |
| Twice a day | 35 | 20.2 |
| Three times a day | 44 | 25.4 |
| Four times a day | 38 | 22.0 |
| UC | 52 | 30.1 |
| Duration of oral care | ||
| < 5 min | 26 | 15.0 |
| 5–10 min | 96 | 55.5 |
| > 10 min | 19 | 11.0 |
| UC | 32 | 18.5 |
| Method of oral care (MCQ) | ||
| Swabbing | 159 | 91.9 |
| Rinsing | 65 | 37.6 |
| Combination of the two | 84 | 48.6 |
| Oral care solution (MCQ) | ||
| Physiological saline solution | 143 | 82.7 |
| Special mouthwash for oral care (e.g., chlorhexidine) | 99 | 57.2 |
| Hydrogen peroxide solution | 55 | 31.8 |
| Sodium bicarbonate solution | 36 | 20.8 |
| Distilled water | 31 | 17.9 |
| Toothpaste | 3 | 1.7 |
| Tools of oral care (MCQ) | ||
| Oral care package# | 149 | 86.1 |
| Large cotton swab or gauze | 121 | 69.9 |
| Toothbrush with flushing and suction | 76 | 43.9 |
| Resources of solving the difficulties of oral care (MCQ) | ||
| Consulting senior nurses | 151 | 87.3 |
| Consulting doctors | 145 | 83.8 |
| Communicating with nurses at the same level | 112 | 64.7 |
| Seeking help from guidelines/expert consensus/literature | 77 | 44.5 |
| Barriers of oral care (MCQ) | ||
| Lack of knowledge and skills related to oral care | 133 | 76.9 |
| Insufficient perception of the importance of oral care | 128 | 74.0 |
| Surgical incision hinders the evaluation and operation | 116 | 67.1 |
| Uncooperative patients due to pain and discomfort | 108 | 62.4 |
| Shortage of nurse human resources | 100 | 57.8 |
| Lack of appropriate tools of oral care | 100 | 57.8 |
| Lack of standardized regulation of oral care | 99 | 57.2 |
| Concerns about conditions caused by oral care (e.g., wound bleeding) | 78 | 45.1 |
| No orders of oral care | 17 | 9.8 |
UC Uncertain, depending on the patients’ situation, MCQ Multiple choice questions
#The oral care package is a tool for oral care that includes a tongue depressor, a disposable pad towel, cotton balls, plastic hemostatic forceps, and tweezers. The cotton balls were soaked with physiological saline or oral care solution to wipe the patient’s teeth and clean the oral cavity