Oral Care of Post-Stroke Dysphagia Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Neurological Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices.

OBJECTIVE: Most post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) patients suffer from compromised oral health, which necessitates standardised oral care delivered by nurses. This study aimed to evaluate neurological nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to oral care for PSD patients and explore associated influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed from September to November 2024 with convenience sampling across Southwest China. Data were gathered via an online questionnaire consisting of two parts: demographic characteristics and a self-developed KAP scale tailored for neurological nurses responsible for oral care of PSD patients. Univariate correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were applied to identify predictors of KAP scores. RESULTS: In total, 337 valid questionnaires were retrieved and analysed, corresponding to an effective response rate of 92%. Around 70.92% (n = 239) of participating nurses had never received targeted training on oral care for PSD patients. The mean total KAP score for neurological nurses regarding oral care for PSD patients was 121.45 ± 18.15, with scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices being 53.98 ± 10.96, 43.75 ± 7.14, and 23.82 ± 6.50, respectively. Multiple linear regression demonstrated that hospital level, educational attainment, years of neurological nursing experience, and prior specialised training were significant predictors of KAP total scores (P 0.05). CONCLUSION: Neurological nurses had deficiencies in all three KAP dimensions for PSD oral care. Standardised targeted training programmes should be developed to improve nurses' professional oral care competence.