A preventive care approach for oral health in nursing homes: a qualitative study of healthcare workers’ experiences

Abstract

Abstract Background Oral health problems are common among care-dependent older adults living in nursing homes. Developing strategies to prevent the deterioration of oral health is therefore crucial to avoid pain and tooth loss. A standardized work widely used in nursing homes in Sweden is the quality register Senior Alert (SA), which assesses age-related risks concerning e.g. pressure sores, falls, malnutrition and oral health. The oral health assessment is performed with the Revised Oral Assessment Guide-Jönköping (ROAG-J), which also includes planning and implementation of preventive oral care interventions with the goal of achieving good quality care. However, what facilitates and hinders healthcare workers in working with oral health in SA remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to describe healthcare workers’ experiences of assessing oral health with the ROAG-J, planning and performing preventive oral health care actions in accordance with SA in nursing homes. Methods Healthcare workers (n = 28) in nursing homes in two Swedish municipalities participated and data was collected through six focus group interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify patterns of meaning in the data. Results Themes generated in the analysis were: (1) A structured process promotes communication and awareness and stresses the importance of oral health; (2) Oral care for frail older adults is challenging and triggers ethical dilemmas; (3) Unclear responsibilities, roles and routines in the organization put oral health at risk; (4) Differences in experience and competence among healthcare staff call for educational efforts. Conclusions The structured way of working increases staff awareness and prioritization of oral health in nursing homes. The main challenges for the healthcare workers were residents’ reluctance to participate in oral care activities and oral care being more complicated since most older adults today are dentate. Organizational challenges lay in creating good routines and clarifying staff roles and responsibilities, which will require continuous staff training and increased management involvement.