Effect of Nursing Instructions about COVID-19 Preventive Measures on Knowledge and Reported Practice of Hospitalized School Age Children

COVID-19, novel coronavirus, has been identified by the World Health Organization as a pandemic that causes highly transmittable respiratory disease. Lack of awareness about COVID-19 preventive measures represents a global threat. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of nursing instructions about COVID-19 preventive measures on knowledge and reported practice of hospitalized school age children.

One group pre-posttest quasi-experimental design was utilized to carry out the current study. Setting: The study was conducted in the medical wards at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital (CUSPH).Sample: A purposive sample of 100 hospitalized school age children was included in the study. Data Collection Tool: Structured interview questionnaire designed by the researcher contained seventy-eight questions related to children's demographic data, general knowledge about COVID-19, symptoms, modes of transmission, treatment and prevention was used.

More than half of the children's ages ranged from 10 to 12 years, they were males and ranked as first child. The results of the current study revealed that there were statistically significant differences in total mean score of children's knowledge before and after receiving nursing instructions and total mean score of children reported-practices

School age children had insufficient knowledge about novel COVID-19; along with low standards of reported-practices. After nursing instructions, higher total mean scores were detected regarding their knowledge and reported-practices. Recommendations: Pediatric nurses must provide awareness and public knowledge regarding the novel COVID-19 with simple Arabic illustrative educational booklets and posters about COVID-19 for all children in all health care settings to prevent the spread of this pandemic disease.