Comparison of the effects of two oral cares on thirst and oral status following nasal surgery: Oral swab versus non-swab using cold water gauze

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effects of oral swab and non-swab using cold water gauze on patients’ thirst and oral status following nasal surgery under general anesthesia.Methods: A non-equivalent control group was applied. Participants were divided into a control group (n=30) that was treated by cared for with cold water gauze application without oral swab and an experimental group (n=29) that was treated cared for with oral swab using cold water gauze after nasal surgery at the G University Hospital in Korea. Data were collected from May 14, 2020, to April 30, 2021, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi-squared test, independent t-test, Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and Mann-Whitney test.Results: The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in thirst (U=-0.04, p=.693) and overall oral condition (U=-0.34, p=.813) after the intervention. However, participants’ thirst and oral condition were significantly improved in each group after intervention.Conclusions: It was confirmed that both oral care methods reduced thirst and improved oral condition after nasal surgery. These findings indicate the need for intervention for patients’ thirst and oral condition after nasal surgery. Furthermore, they show that these oral care protocols can be used as a safe and effective nursing intervention for patients who undergo nasal surgery under general anesthesia.