MyMedR

Displaying all 4 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Oral care practice for the ventilated patients in intensive care units: a pilot survey

Soh KL, Shariff Ghazali S, Soh KG, Abdul Raman R, Sharif Abdullah SS, Ong SL

J Infect Dev Ctries, 2012 Apr;6(4):333-9.
PMID: 22505443

INTRODUCTION: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection in intensive care units (ICUs). One factor causing VAP is aspiration of oral colonisation, which may result from poor oral care practice. Oral care using tooth brushing can prevent formulation of dental plaque that can be a reservoir for microbes causing VAP.
METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 124 nurses, using a self-administered questionnaire, to determine methods used, frequency, and attitude of nurses toward oral care provided to mechanically ventilated patients in Malaysian ICUs.
RESULTS: Methods for oral care and their frequency of use varied between nurses even in the same unit. Cotton with forceps was used by 73.4% of the nurses. Some nurses used forceps and gauze (65%) or spatulas and gauze (36%). Toothbrushes were used by 50.8% of the nurses. Nurses in this hospital reported to have positive attitude toward providing oral care.
CONCLUSIONS: The survey showed the need to have standardised oral care protocols in ICUs to improve quality of oral care provided to ventilated patients.
Perception of intensive care unit stressors in Malaysian Federal Territory hospitals

Soh KL, Soh KG, Ahmad Z, Abdul Raman R, Japar S

Contemp Nurse, 2008 Dec;31(1):86-93.
PMID: 19117504

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a therapeutic place for monitoring critically ill patients. However, it is a stressful area for the patients and it is causing them great anxiety. Previous studies have identified three groups of stressors in ICU namely; physical, psychological and environmental. The aims of this study were to determine the ICU stressors as experienced by patients and to determine the level of stressors felt by patients in ICU. A cross sectional study was done on 70 patients from two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. A face-to-face interview with structured questionnaire was used for patients. Data collection occurred from 15 December 2006 to 31 January 2007. The five major ICU stressors perceived by patients were pain, being stuck with needles, boredom, missing their spouses and being too hot/cold. The ICU physical stressors were the major items ranked by post ICU patients. The findings from this study provided a set of baseline information to the health care providers, particularly ICU nurses in Malaysia, with which to provide better care for the patients in ICU.
Physical assessment skills practised by critical care nurses: A cross-sectional study

Rosli SN, Soh KL, Ong SL, Halain AA, Abdul Raman R, Soh KG

Nurs Crit Care, 2023 Jan;28(1):109-119.
PMID: 35023244 DOI: 10.1111/nicc.12748

BACKGROUND: Physical assessment skills are essential to clinical decision-making in nursing as they help nurses to identify and respond to patients' deterioration. Nurses develop confidence and can detect any out-of-range parameters in diagnosing and treating patients. Prior studies surveyed 120 skills but did not explicitly assess critical care.
AIM: To determine the range of physical assessment skills practised by critical care nurses and their adoption factors.
STUDY DESIGN: This study uses a cross-sectional survey design. A self-administered questionnaire evaluating 40 physical assessment skills was conducted with 133 staff nurses (response rate: 96.4%) in three critical care units at a Malaysian government hospital between November 2019 and January 2020.
RESULTS: Most nurses applied 32 (80%) skills during every working shift, involving the vital signs and all body systems except the gastrointestinal system. Five skills (12.5%) were occasionally applied, while three skills (7.5%) were rarely applied or not part of most nurses' clinical practice. About 20% of the nurses did not routinely check the respiration rate. Medical and surgical intensive care unit nurses (U = 1129, p
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hand Hygiene among Healthcare Workers Caring for Children with Leukaemia in the Paediatric Oncology Ward of King Saud Medical City, Saudi Arabia

Aldawsari M, Soh KL, Abdul Raman R, Mohd Taib N, Aboshaiqah A

Malays J Med Sci, 2023 Aug;30(4):116-131.
PMID: 37655141 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2023.30.4.11

BACKGROUND: Hands are the most common vehicle of pathogen transmission in a healthcare setting. Therefore, hand hygiene is the leading method of reducing healthcare-associated infections. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of hand hygiene and predictors for poor hand hygiene practice among healthcare workers who care for children with leukaemia in the paediatric oncology ward of King Saud Medical City (KSMC) in Saudi Arabia.
METHODS: One hundred and ninety medical doctors and nurses, who were registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialities, were selected to participate in this cross-sectional study using a simple sampling technique. Their KAP of hand hygiene was assessed using a self-structured questionnaire and the collected data was analysed using IBM® SPSS® version 26.0.
RESULTS: Of the 190 healthcare workers, 74.7% were nurses and 25.3% were medical doctors. Among the participants, 53.7% (102) had good knowledge of hand hygiene, 51.6% (98) had positive attitudes towards hand hygiene and 55.8% (106) practised satisfactory hand hygiene. Bachelor education level (adjusted OR = 2.736; 95% CI = 1.101, 6.799; P = 0.030), postgraduate education level (adjusted OR = 6.256; 95% CI = 2.171, 18.028; P = 0.001), poor knowledge (adjusted OR =2.575; 95% CI = 1.263, 5.246; P = 0.009) and negative attitude (adjusted OR = 4.702; 95% CI = 1.263, 5.246; P < 0.001) were the significant predictor variables of unsatisfactory hand hygiene practice among healthcare workers.
CONCLUSION: The performance of hand hygiene among healthcare workers is still far less than optimal, particularly in settings like oncology units. Effective programmes are needed to increase their awareness of hand hygiene KAP, while strict guidelines are needed to reduce nosocomial infections.