For ICU staff, oral care is about far more than teeth and gums.
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Comprehensive oral hygiene has been consistently recognized as critical to preventing VAP by leading international organisations and it has been included in the high impact intervention care bundle guidelines to reduce ventilation association pneumonia from the Department of Health.
If an intubated patient doesn't receive effective and comprehensive oral hygiene, bacterial plaque develops on teeth within 48 hours.¹ As dental plaque increases, so does the risk of pneumonia.² Kimberly-Clark* Oral Care Solutions can help you optimize oral care in your ventilated patients.
Barriers to oral care compliance
There is strong clinical evidence that comprehensive and routine oral care guidelines contribute to better patient care and outcomes4. But, a survey of over 1,200 critical care nurses in 2007 found that only 56% who cared for mechanically ventilated patients reported that their hospital had a written protocol for oral care, and just 32% of those nurses knew their unit's VAP rate.³ The survey showed that best practices for the prevention of VAP were not consistently and uniformly implemented.
Easier compliance helps you to help your patients
To address the issue of non-compliance, Kimberly- Clark has introduced their Partners in Prevention Oral Care Compliance Program. It's designed to educate clinicians, raise awareness of oral care practices and procedures for clinical staff, and celebrate positive results.
Facilities that have participated in the Partners in Prevention program have been able to raise their compliance rates by developing a comprehensive compliance program that works with their oral care protocols and practices.
Kimberly-Clark KimVent* Oral Care Solutions
The Kimberly-Clark oral care solutions comprise of a range of four KimVent* Oral Care Kits. The Q4 24-hour KimVent* oral care kit is designed for those patients who need long-term mechanical ventilation, the kit contains the full range of oral care components in procedure packs including suction catheters, covered yankauer and two toothbrushes. The no leak, easy-peel procedure packs serve as a work station.
In smaller packaging, there are the Advanced, Moderate and Initial Oral Care Kits which are designed to provide the appropriate equipment and compliance procedures for the time patients require mechanical ventilation and the corresponding risk they have to acquire VAP.
The Advanced version, containing a complete range of oral care components, is for patients requiring longer-term ventilation. The Moderate kit is for patients requiring a standard protocol and includes a covered yankauer to remove tenacious secretions. For patients being weaned off ventilation, or requiring limited ventilation support, the Initial pack contains the suction swap packs and toothbrush required to remove limited secretions.
For more information, visit our web site at www.kchealthcare.com/kimvent
