A Qualitative Evaluation of the Implementation of an Oral Care Program in Home Care Nursing

Lina F. Weening-Verbree (), Annemarie A. Schuller, Sytse U. Zuidema and Johannes S. M. Hobbelen
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Lina F. Weening-Verbree: Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9714 CA Groningen, The Netherlands
Annemarie A. Schuller: Center for Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands
Sytse U. Zuidema: Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands
Johannes S. M. Hobbelen: Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, 9714 CA Groningen, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: An Oral Care Program (OCP) was implemented in home care nursing teams in a northern province of the Netherlands to improve the oral health and hygiene of older people who make use of formal home care in 2018–2019. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the experiences of the stakeholders involved (older people, home-care nurses and dental hygienists) and to report the experienced impact of OCP, with a qualitative approach. Three dental hygienists, nine home care nurses, and eight older people were interviewed with semi-structured interviews, which were audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The codes derived were grouped into nine main themes. OCP was experienced as mostly positive by all stakeholders involved. The educational part lead to more awareness towards oral care, but should be repeated regularly. Personalized oral care plans for older people were experienced positively, however, obtaining oral care behavior changes appeared to be difficult. Collaboration between dental hygienists and home care nurses lead to a positive experience from both sides The method and intensity of collaboration varied between the teams. To provide better access to oral health care for older people in the community, a long term collaboration between home care nursing teams and dental care professionals in their working area should be established.

Keywords: dental hygienist; experienced impact; home care nursing; implementation of oral care; older people; oral care program; personalized oral care; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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