Nurses’ Knowledge toward Preventive Measure of Pulmonary Embolism in AL Nasiriyah City

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary embolism is a serious disease that leads to death, as it ranks third among cardiovascular diseases after coronary artery disease and stroke. Pulmonary embolism is one of the diseases that can be prevented or avoided. The nursing staff plays a key role in knowing the risk factors, diagnosis, and prevention of pulmonary embolism.                                                                                                                                      

Aims: This study aimed to assess nurses` knowledge toward preventive measures of pulmonary embolism, and determine the relationship between nurses knowledge and their socio-demographic data.

Methods: A descriptive study is conducted for the periods of 26th November 2020 to 2ed May 2021. The study is carried out at AL-Hussein Teaching Hospital and AL-Haboby Teaching Hospital in AL Nasiriyah City. A purposive sample (non-probability) consisting of (60) nurses was selected from nurses who work in the critical care units and surgical wards.

Results: Findings indicate that nurses age at mean 27.2, (80%) females, (40%), secondary nursing school graduated,  (71.7%) have 1-5 years of experience and no participated in training sessions. Findings demonstrated that the nurses were poorly knowledge related to pulmonary embolism and preventive measure of pulmonary embolism at mean equal to 0.30, and 0.27 respectively. There were no-significant relationship between nurses knowledge and their demographic data at p-value >0.05.

CONCLUSIONS: Nurses working in critical care units and surgical wards expressed poor knowledge toward preventive measures of pulmonary embolism   due to low level of education and lack of training.

Recommendations: The study recommended the necessity of allocating special training courses for all nurses who work in critical care units and surgical wards to improve the knowledge of nurses toward preventive measure of pulmonary embolism, in addition to increasing the number of professional nurses' graduate from the colleges of nursing to the enrolled in surgical wards