Evaluation of a dental nurse-led triage system in a private dental practice during the COVID-19 pandemic
| Autor: | Louise Goodwin, Katherine Hare, Colin Campbell, Angela Cowell |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Feature
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) business.industry Research medicine.medical_treatment MEDLINE 030206 dentistry General Medicine medicine.disease Triage Crown (dentistry) stomatognathic diseases 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine stomatognathic system Dental nurse Pandemic Complaint medicine 030212 general & internal medicine Medical emergency Bridge (dentistry) business General Dentistry |
| Zdroj: | Bdj Team British Dental Journal |
| ISSN: | 2054-7617 |
| DOI: | 10.1038/s41407-020-0494-7 |
| Popis: | Objectives To evaluate a dental nurse-led triage system at a private dental practice in England after the cessation of face-to-face care during the COVID-19 pandemic; to assess types of presenting problems and their management upon practice reopening at alert level 4; and to explain the benefits of dental nurse-led triage and its relevance to other practices. Methods This retrospective service evaluation used anonymised data gathered for the purpose of assessing and triaging patients when they could not be seen face-to-face. Effectiveness of the triage system was assessed using predetermined criteria. Results Seventy patients were triaged during a 12-week period; 68.5% of patients were managed by the triaging dental nurse without escalation to a dentist and 77% of patients called only once. The most common presenting complaint was pain, followed by loose crown/bridge and fractured crown/tooth/bridge. Sixty-one percent of all patients accepted a face-to-face appointment upon reopening of the dental practice. Conclusions This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a dental nurse-led triage model where dental nurses have the skills and experience required to manage patients at first contact. This model would be applicable to other practices in the case of future emergency closures, as well as a routine out-of-hours service. Key points Demonstrates the effectiveness of a dental nurse-led triage model during the cessation of face-to-face care in the COVID-19 pandemic.Outlines the presenting problems of patients and their uptake of treatment upon practice reopening.Suggests that this model is applicable to a routine out-of-hours service as well as at times of practice closures, and that other practices may wish to adopt it. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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