NURSING STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF ORAL CARE FOR CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS IN UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR TEACHING HOSPITAL, CALABAR, NIGERIA.

Nsemo; Alberta David; Ndukaku; Nwakwe C.; David Nwokpuru Obo

Volume : VII, Issue : VII, July - 2018

NURSING STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF ORAL CARE FOR CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS IN UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR TEACHING HOSPITAL, CALABAR, NIGERIA.

Nsemo, Alberta David, Ndukaku, Nwakwe C. , David Nwokpuru Obo

Abstract :

Immobility and low oral immunity offers opportunity for oral microbial flora to invade the oral cavity of patients. Oral care is a vital component of nursing care that is necessary to maintain safely and comfort in critically ill patients. This study examined the nursing students� knowledge, attitudeand practice of oral care for critically ill patients in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study utilized descriptive design, and a sample size of 111 comprising students in their 400 and 500 levels, were randomly selected for the study, (50%)of the total population. A structured item questionnaire was developed, pretested and used for data collection. Descriptive analysis was done using SPSS 21.0 statistical packages while inferential statistics of using Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypothesis. Result revealed that students have good knowledge of the importance of oral care for critically ill patients, (98.2%), 45.9% viewed oral care as a high priority in patient care, although 66(59.5%) respondents actually performed oral care, but only 20(30%) perform it once a day while a vast majority 30(45%) carry out oral care whenever they feel there is time. Lack of resources (64.6%), lack of practice of oral care by clinical nurses working on the wards (47.9%), and lack of practical experience by students themselves (45.8%) were ranked the highest amongst other barriers to the practice of oral care by the students. Hypothesis revealed a significant relationship between knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards oral care for critically ill patients (Calculated r–value is .197 at .05 level of significance), in UCTH, Calabar. The study therefore recommended re–enforcement of training on oral care, provision of adequate materials for the performance of oral care, clinical practice under mentorship to gain experience on oral care.