KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE, AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF NURSES REGARDING PREOPERATIVE PATIENT EDUCATION AMONG SURGICAL PATIENTS, MIXED METHOD STUDY; AT NORTHWEST AMHARA REGIONAL STATE REFERRAL HOSPITALS, NORTHWEST ETHIOPIA, 2022.

Abstract

Introduction; The preoperative education received by the patients depends on the knowledge and experience of nurses. The diversity in the degree of knowledge and experience possessed by nurses may result in inadequate and ineffective preoperative preparation of patients (1). Therefore, nurses must develop adequate knowledge, teaching skills, and methods of preoperative patient teaching. Objectives: The main aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, practice, and associated factors of nurses working at surgical units towards preoperative patient education in Northwest Amhara Regional State Referral Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia. Method: An institutional-based cross-sectional, mixed-method study was conducted from May 26 to July 26, 2022. The data were collected using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The descriptive statistics were presented in text and tables. Analytical analysis schemes including bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were computed considering P-value < 0.05 to identify statistically significant factors. Qualitative data were analyzed with thematic content analysis. Result: A total of 406 participants were involved in this study with a 95.8% response rate. The adequate knowledge of nurses was 61.6% with 95% CI: (56.7, 66.3) significantly associated with being male, nurse use of guidelines, nurses they have been trained, and nurses’ who say they do not a staff shortage. Good practice of nurses regarding preoperative patient education was 46.3 % with 95% CI (41.4, 51.0) significantly associated with presence of preoperative teaching guidelines, took training on patient education, nurses who said no staff shortage and knowledge of preoperative patient education. Nurses having much work experience had good practice but lack of training; inadequate supplies and lack of professional perquisite are some of the barriers identified. Conclusion; Nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding preoperative patient education were found to be inadequate. So, it is better to strengthen training, adequate staffing, equipping wards with standardized guidelines and prevention materials, motivate and create a safe working environment. Most of the nurses explore factors of preoperative patients’ education as institutional, nurse’s related and patient related factors. Keywords: Knowledge, Practice, and preoperative teaching.