Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 13

Research - Essay Example The study also evaluated the effects of oral healthcare on intracranial pressure. Data was collected from 45 intubated patients who were admitted in ICU for 1 year. The data was collected using oral assessment guide and oral cultures during intubation and then 2 days after extubation. Occurrence of intracranial pressures linked to oral care and ventilator-associated pneumonia were then recorded. According to the findings, oral health of critically ill neuroscience patients deteriorates during intubation and then improves to baseline levels in two days after extubation. This is because intubation leads to an increase in yeast and oral gram-negative bacteria. Among the patients checked in, around 24% of them had cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (Prendergast et al., 2009). Among those examined, overall intracranial pressure decreased significantly after oral healthcare. Oral health among NICU patients deteriorates in the course of intubation and improves after extubation. The level of oral health deterioration depends on time taken during intubation. The longer the intubation time, the more the oral health deteriorates. In addition to this, when patients are subjected to intubation, their health seems to deteriorates regardless of the nature of their sickness (Prendergast et al., 2009). Intubation contributes to aggravation of oral health among neuroscience patients in intensive care units. However, implementation of oral healthcare does not seem to influence intracranial pressure negatively. Oral care needs to be explored in order to promote systemic and oral health of neuroscience patients in intensive care units and determine its impact on ventilator-associated pneumonia. Nurses should examine the oral cavity of patients every eight hours followed up by suctioning to remove secretions. The nurse should then brush the patient teeth using an antiseptic like chlorhexidine. The mouth should then be rinsed using sterile water. It is important to