A Study to Assess the Effect of Planned Teaching on Knowledge and Practice of Staff Nurses on Endo - Tracheal Suctioning in Critical Care Unit of Selected Hospital, Guwahati

Geeta Dutta, Dr. Unmona Borgohain Saikia, Dr. Amar Rai Baruah

Abstract: Background: Endotracheal suctioning is a procedure to remove respiratory secretions from the tracheo - bronchial tree by insertion of a sterile catheter in to the airway through endotracheal tube by planned care vacuum. Suctioning is a delicate art, and requires practice and patience to perfect the skill. It is one of the most common activities of nurses working in critical care unit. If the nurses have inadequate knowledge and practice regarding endotracheal suctioning, numerous complications may arise during the procedure. Aims/objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess knowledge and practice of nurses regarding endotracheal suctioning before and after planned teaching and to compare the knowledge and practices of nurses before and after planned teaching. The study was also attempted to determine the correlation between knowledge and practices of nurses with selected variables such as age, educational qualification, experience, in - service education. Methodology: A Quasi experimental research design (one group pre test and post test design) was used for the study. The study was conducted in critical care unit of selected hospital, Guwahati. For the study, 30 numbers of staff nurses were selected by using convenience sampling technique. A structured questionnaire and an observational checklist was developed to collect necessary data and analyzed and interpreted by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Among 30 of the sample in pretest 9 (30%) had inadequate knowledge, 21 (70%) had moderately adequate knowledge and no one had adequate knowledge. After planned teaching in post test none of the sample had inadequate knowledge, 17 (56.67%) had moderately adequate knowledge and 13 (43.33%) had adequate knowledge. In pretest, 1 (3.33%) of the nurses had inadequate practice and 29 (96.67%) nurses had moderately adequate practices. None of the nurses among samples had practices that was adequate. After planned teaching none of them practiced inadequately, 1 of (3.33%) them had moderately adequate practice and 29 (96.67%) had adequate practice. It shows that there was an improvement in the level of knowledge and practice in post test (t = P<0.05). The study also revealed that knowledge and practice scores were correlated with each other for respondents belonging to different groups according to the selected demographic variables such as age, educational qualification, work experiences and special training. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that planned teaching programme on endotracheal suctioning is effective in improving on knowledge and practices of staff nurses in critical care unit. Educational programme on regular basis will help in updating and improving their knowledge and practices regarding endotracheal suctioning.

Keywords: Staff nurse, Endotracheal suctioning, Knowledge, Practices