Nursing care for storage of dental prostheses in hospitalized elderly patients

Abstract

Objective: To understand nursing care required for storing dental prostheses in the hospitalized elderly. Methods: This was a descriptive and qualitative research. Data were collected from September to October of 2018, through interviews with 35 professionals who comprised the intensive care unit nursing team and the hospital ward of a university hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis technique. Results: Disagreements regarding the care for dental prosthesis were identified, according to statements of different storage methods among the professionals, in addition to insufficient records on this kind of care. It was possible to perceive a positive aspect when there was a lack of material to protect the prosthesis, which provided an incentive to adapt the care, which allowed the reduction in lost prostheses in the hospital environment. Conclusion: The nursing care related to dental prostheses in the hospitalized elderly showed a gap, signaling a need for greater attention with this instrument of elderly rehabilitation.