Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research
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Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res · Mar 2012
The effects of an oral care practice on incidence of pneumonia among ventilator patients in ICUs of selected hospitals in Isfahan, 2010.
Oral care plays an inevitable role in health and well-being of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Poor oral care causes colonization of respiratory pathogens and secondary respiratory infections. Ventilator-associated pneumonia occurs in patients on mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours. It results in prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation, mortality and health expenses. The present study aimed to review the effects of an oral care practice on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients on mechanical ventilation admitted in ICUs. ⋯ The results of the present study showed that brushing and standard oral care practice had no effects on ventilator-associated pneumonia. Therefore, the incidence of such complication might be affected by many different factors.