Southern Star Award
2021 winner: Comprehensive oral care project to reduce hospital-acquired pneumonia, Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group
Patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia and hospital-acquired aspiration pneumonia experience longer hospital stays, higher mortality rates and discharge delays.
Clinical case and literature reviews by the Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group Hospital Acquired Complications Reduction team identified comprehensive oral care as an effective prevention strategy for general medical, surgical and geriatric inpatients.
A new oral care protocol was subsequently developed based on patient’s clinical and dependency requirements. It included storing oral products on participating wards, a 'Take 5' education package for nursing teams and a patient information sheet.
With evidence-based data showing improved patient outcomes, project learnings have been incorporated into policy and these practices are now embedded into clinical practice on six wards.
See our finalists for the Southern Star Award
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