Oral care is an essential part of nursing care that is sometimes overlooked. Use this Course to refresh your knowledge of why oral care is important and what best practice oral care for older adults involves.
12 Dec 2017
Dr. John Banky is a dental clinician with more than 40 years of clinical experience in both the private and public sector. Dr. Banky has also published numerous articles on this topic and has delivered presentations to both medical and paramedical audiences about dental presentations of medical conditions.
Topics include:
Target audience
Health professionals who care for older people in any setting.
Purpose
Ensure health professionals maintain best practice oral care for older adults in all care settings and can identify traditional practice(s) that compromise oral health.
Need
Good oral health in older people contributes to a sense of wellbeing; it facilitates better fluid and nutritional intake, assists with communication and has been shown to enhance quality of life. Despite this, the oral health of older people is an often-neglected part of nursing care. Oral care is sometimes considered less important than other nursing priorities and the quality of oral care being delivered usually depends on the health professional's knowledge of oral hygiene and willingness to attend to this fundamental basic care need. Health professionals are encouraged to integrate best practice oral care into their routine practice, however in order to do so, they may need to refresh their knowledge of oral hygiene and why it is fundamental to maintaining health and wellbeing.
Health professionals in Australia that are registered with AHPRA are required to obtain continuing professional development (CPD) hours/points each year that relates to their context of practice, in order to comply with mandatory regulatory requirements.
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