Special oral care practices for intubated mechanically ventilated patients by nurses at Ha Dong General Hospital in 2025

Abstract

Objective: To describe special oral care practices for intubated mechanically ventilated patients by nurses at Ha Dong general hospital in 2025 and related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted, encompassing 390 observations of SOC procedures performed by 15 clinical nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Ha Dong General Hospital from February to May 2025. Procedural compliance was evaluated using the standardized SOC checklist issued by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health (Decision No. 1904/QD-BYT). Results: The overall compliance rate for SOC procedures was 60.0%, while 40.0% of the observed practices were non-compliant. Factors including the nurse’s age, gender, years of clinical experience, total patient-to-nurse ratio per shift, and the specific number of mechanically ventilated patients assigned per shift demonstrated statistically significant associations with compliant SOC practices (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The compliance rate with standard SOC protocols for intubated mechanically ventilated patients remains suboptimal. Nurse demographics and workload are significantly associated with procedural compliance. Enhanced training, continuous supervision, and optimal nurse staffing are imperative to improve the quality of oral care in the ICU