Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
HA Young Investigators Session (Projects to be presented by HA staff who had joined HA for 10 years or less)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service II (Projects aiming to enhance clinical safety and outcomes, clinical governance / risk management)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Siu WL, Wong CL, Tsang WY
Affiliation :
Medicine and Geriatric Department, Ward P3EM, United Christian Hospital
Introduction :
Removable dentures, either complete or partial, are a valuable and essential property for patients. Without their dentures, patients’ nutritional status and hospital experience could be negatively affected. High patient turnover rates in the overflow ward may lead to property loss, but not limited to dentures, during transfer. To maintain zero denture loss rate, this project focuses on streamlining the management of removable dentures, ultimately enhancing the quality of nursing care and ensuring patient well-being.
Objectives :
1. To ensure effective removable denture management throughout patients’ hospital stay 2. To maintain accurate, up-to-date removable denture status 3. To minimize the loss of dentures in the inpatient ward setting 4. To promote better oral hygiene practices among patients using removable dentures
Methodology :
This project started from 28Dec2023, consisted of a multi-step approach to safeguard dentures: 1. Case nurse enforces proper documentation during patient transfers and ensure correct information that is captured in the Patient Admission Form (PAF). 2. Staff awareness is heightened with the placement of a signpost, featuring the sign “Removable Denture”. 3. Each bedside table includes a designated denture box with proper labeling, which entails affixing a non-identifiable name label atop the denture box's plastic cover. 4. The denture box is secured to the base of the signpost using reusable adhesives to prevent misplacement. 5. Case nurse conducts removable denture checks after each meal and Night shift. Nurse records the findings in Nursing Care Report, which facilitates early detection of any denture loss and hence allows for prompt response and resolution. 6. After evening meals, patient care assistants (PCAs) are assigned to cleanse the dentures with boiling water and store them securely. Two primary indicators are assessed to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented measures: 1. The rate of denture loss within the ward 2. The compliance rate of denture checks after each meal and Night shift
Result & Outcome :
The implementation of these interventions has led to heightened staff vigilance regarding denture care. The use of reusable signage and disposable plastic denture box proved to be cost-effective. Additionally, daily cleansing of dentures has contributed to improved overall patient hygiene. Patients’ overall hygiene is improved by cleansing the dentures daily. Enhanced handling and management of removable dentures have shown to increase patient satisfaction during hospitalization.
