నైరూప్య

Nurses knowledge regarding weaning criteria of the patients with mechanical ventilation in a teaching hospital, Chitwan.

Pradhan C, Shrestha R

Introduction: Ventilator weaning is the process of gradually withdrawing artificial ventilation to the intubated patients for short or long time in critical care setting. Weaning patients from ventilator is complex and challenging task for nurses and knowing weaning criteria is most essential component for getting successful outcome for the patients with mechanical ventilation. Hence, this study was conducted to find out nurses’ knowledge regarding weaning criteria of the patients with mechanical ventilation.

Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study design was used with 57 nurses working in critical care unit of a teaching hospital, Bharatpur, Chitwan. The non-probability, enumerative sampling technique was used. Data was collected by using self-administered semi structured questionnaire during July, 2016. Association was analyzed using chi square.

Results: The level of knowledge regarding weaning criteria was 45.6% had adequate knowledge while 54.4% had inadequate knowledge. The significant influencing variables for weaning criteria were professional experience (p ≤ 0.001), professional experience in critical care area (p ≤ 0.001), clinical areas (p=0.002) and age (p=0.006) among nurses.

Conclusion: More than half of the respondents had inadequate knowledge regarding weaning criteria and professional experience as a whole and critical care area, clinical area and age are influencing variables for weaning criteria among nurses working in a teaching hospital Chitwan. Hence, it is strongly recommended for need of protocol, in-service education, effective supervision and reinforcement for improvement of knowledge on weaning criteria among nurses.