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Name __________________________________________________________ Date ____________________________________
Course _________________________________________________________ Year ____________________________________
Instructor/examiner _ ____________________________________________ Position _ _______________________________
Copyright © 2014 by Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Checklists for Clinical Nursing Skills by Louise Sparkes, Jennifer Bassett and Elisabeth Jacob.
1. Identify the patient.
2. Check the medical order or clinical pathway/care plan.
3. Introduce yourself, explain the rationale for the
procedure to the patient and family, and obtain consent.
4. Gather the necessary equipment.
Equipment:
toothbrush, toothpaste, kidney dish or emesis
basin, glass with cool water, towel, mouthwash, dental floss,
denture cleansing equipment, denture container, denture
cleaner, mouth swab stick, syringe, normal saline solution,
suction catheter attached to suction, washcloth or paper
towel, lip balm.
5. Undertake a risk assessment, if indicated.
6. Perform hand hygiene.
7. Put on personal protective equipment (PPE), if indicated.
8. Ensure that patient privacy is maintained.
9. Place the bed at an appropriate and comfortable working
height.
10. Lower one side of the bed rail and position the patient on
their side, with their head tilted forwards. Place a towel
across the patient’s chest and an emesis basin under their
chin.
11. Use a swab stick moistened with normal saline or diluted
mouthwash solution to gently cleanse the patient’s gums,
mucous membranes and tongue. If the patient still has
their own teeth, brush carefully with toothbrush and
paste. Lightly brush the tongue. Alternatively, remove
dentures if present and clean before replacing.
12. If required, insert the tip of the irrigating syringe into the
patient’s mouth and rinse gently with a small amount of
water. Position the patient’s head to allow the water to run
out again or use suction apparatus to remove the water
from the oral cavity.
13. Apply lip balm to moisten the patient’s lips.
14. Return the patient to a comfortable position.
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Goal:
The patient has a clean mouth and clean teeth and is free
from impaired oral mucous membranes.
Refer to Dempsey, Hillege and Hill, Fundamentals of Nursing and Midwifery:
A Person-Centred Approach to Care 2e, Chapter 37, Hygiene
SKILL 7-4
Providing oral care for the dependent patient
