Oral health care in the education of auxiliary nurses in Norway

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the quality and quantity of the oral health care training in the education of auxiliary nurses in Norway.

Material and methods: An e-mail-administered questionnaire was sent to all 164 high schools in Norway offering basic education for auxiliary nurses in the academic year 2011/2012. The questionnaire collected information on the theoretical and practical oral care education, teaching material, curriculum and the school’s opinion of the core curriculum from the government, the students’ interest in the subject, and the schools’ self-assessment of their oral care training program.

Results: Of the 114 schools responding to the survey (69.5 % response rate), 56 (49.1 %) offered three hours or more teaching in oral health care. 39 (34.2 %) stated that the students are not well enough prepared for later work in health care. Important elements as working techniques, interdental brushes and electrical powered toothbrushes were included in few of the schools. Only 12 (10.5 %) stated that the core curriculum from the government is good enough.

Conclusions: The oral care teaching program for auxiliary nurses seems inadequate. The amount of lessons should be increased to give the auxiliary nurses an adequate basic knowledge of oral care.