The study, titled "The Role of the Nurse in Oral Care: A Review of Postgraduate Theses", was prepared by senior students of the Turkish Nursing Program: Kardelen GÜVENECİ, Emine DAĞ, Duygu BAYRAK, and Uğur ORAL, and examined the importance of oral health within nursing care from an academic perspective.
The study reviewed 34 postgraduate theses written in the field of nursing in Turkey, focusing particularly on practices in intensive care, oncology, and pediatrics. The findings revealed that nurses’ oral care interventions play a critical role in preventing infections, alleviating symptoms, and improving patient comfort.
Additionally, the study emphasized that lack of materials and insufficient knowledge negatively affect the quality of oral care practices. It was underlined in the presentation that in order to make oral care a systematic part of nursing practice, comprehensive training programs and standardized care protocols need to be developed and widely implemented.
Assoc. Prof. Neşe KISKAÇ stated that the study not only enhanced students’ research competencies but also provided concrete suggestions for improving the quality of healthcare services. She added, “Our students' participation in such a high-level academic platform marks a significant step in both their professional development and in increasing the international recognition of our university.”
