443 - Oral Health Education Impact on Pediatric Oncology Nurse Exams

Abstract:

Purpose: This survey-based study, conducted among pediatric oncology nurses at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, aims to assess their knowledge and confidence in performing oral health assessments for pediatric oncology patients before and after a lesson plan developed by a pediatric dental resident.



Methods: Pediatric oncology nurses attended a lecture given by a pediatric dental resident that detailed the basics of performing oral health assessments on pediatric oncology patients. Attendees were given a pre-lecture survey to determine their current oral health assessment practices during routine exams. After a 3-month period of performing oral health assessments following the lecture, a survey was given to determine the impact of oral health education provided on their routine exams.



Results: While data collection is ongoing, nine pediatric oncology nurses at this time have completed the pre-lecture survey. A majority reported having high knowledge and comfort when performing oral health assessments, primarily acquired through practice under the guidance of a medical provider. When assessing oncology patients, the nurses’ focus varied, with some noting no change relative to non-oncology patients (27.3%), while others specifically looked for incidence of mucositis (27.3%), infection (27.3%), or chemotherapy side effects (18.2%).



Conclusions: Although most felt education was beneficial, the greatest reported barrier to performing oral health assessments was patient cooperation (61.5%). Feedback found that the most effective means of learning oral health assessments is through hands-on performance.

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