Oral Hygiene in Patients with Stroke: A Best Practice Implementation Project Protocol.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Stroke can impair self-care abilities, including oral hygiene.
• Nurses acknowledge the importance of oral hygiene for stroke patients but face implementation challenges.
• Adverse events and reduced quality of life are linked to poor oral care in stroke survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance compliance with evidence-based oral hygiene recommendations for stroke patients.
• To implement strategies for improving oral care in stroke survivors.
• To reduce adverse events associated with inadequate oral hygiene in this population.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the JBI Evidence Implementation approach.
• Employing the JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (JBI PACES) and the Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) audit and feedback tool.
• Phased implementation: baseline audit, barrier identification, strategy co-design, feedback, and follow-up audit.

Main Results:

• The project aims to successfully adopt best-evidence recommendations for oral hygiene in stroke patients.
• Expected outcomes include reduced adverse events from poor oral care.
• Anticipated improvement in the quality of care for patients post-stroke.

Conclusions:

• Successful implementation of oral hygiene protocols can significantly improve patient outcomes.
• This evidence-based approach has broad applicability to other healthcare settings.
• Enhancing oral care is crucial for mitigating complications and improving the well-being of stroke patients.