Improving Oral Care Before Elective Cardiovascular Surgery: A Quality Initiative.

Purpose: Oral care (brushing teeth) may reduce the risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia. The number of patients completing oral care before elective cardiovascular surgery (CVS) was unknown at the study institution. The aims of this quality improvement project were to determine the baseline of oral care completion before elective CVS and increase the number of patients who self-reported oral care completions through an educational intervention.

Design: Quality improvement project.

Methods: A total of 170 patients were surveyed to obtain a baseline of self-reported oral care completion within 4 to 6 hours before CVS. Preoperatively, the intervention group received dental supplies and written and verbal education about the importance of oral care before CVS. Oral care self-reported completion was compared with those of the preintervention group.

Findings: Surveys were completed by 93 patients in the preintervention group and 77 in the intervention group. All 77 patients receiving the intervention completed oral care before elective CVS, 11% points higher than the 89% (83/93) at baseline.

Conclusions: Nurses increased patient self-reported oral care completion before CVS through a cost-effective intervention of providing dental supplies and written and verbal education.