Knowledge and Practices of Nurses in Intensive Care Units on Endotracheal Suctioning

Endotracheal suction is one of the main measures in the care and maintenance of airway. If this method of care is not performed properly in patients, it is associated with many complications for the patient. Evidence for knowledge and practice nurses 'of endotracheal suction is associated with various findings. The purpose of this study, determine Knowledge and Practices of Nurses in Intensive Care Units on Endotracheal Suctioning.

This descriptive-analytic study, 112 nurses working in intensive care units in Golestan University of Medical Sciences (2017) were recruited census for the study. Data were collected using self-report Questionnaire for assessing knowledge nurses' (17 questions) and Performance check list (22 items) about the endotracheal suction. Data analyzed by SPSS20 software, using descriptive and inferential statistics (Regression, Spearman correlation and Mann Whitney Test). The significance level was considered 0.05.

Mean of total knowledge nurses in intensive care units was 71.6 (±10.91) and mean of total performance nurses in the intensive care units were 41.22 (±7.91). Spearman correlation coefficient showed that was no significant correlation between total knowledge and total performance nurses regarding endotracheal suction (P<0.05). Also, the test showed that age and experience of work with nurses knowledge regarding endotracheal suction is significant (P>0.05) while, relationship was no significant with the performance nurses (P<0.05).

The results showed that knowledge and performance nurses regarding endotracheal suction was respectively good and medium. It seems, Educational and structural interventions by managers in this regard is essential.