Effect of Training Program on Nurses Knowledge and Competence Regarding Endotracheal Tube and Tracheostomy Care in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Background: Nurses knowledge about the function and limitations of endotracheal and tracheostomy care in mechanically ventilated patient and appropriate management is very important, in order to provide highquality care. Prompt recognition of problem and action by the nurse may resolve acute respiratory distress, dyspnea, and increased work of breathing and prevent adverse events. Purpose of the study: was to assess the effect of training program on nurse’s knowledge and competence regarding the endotracheal tube and tracheostomy care in mechanically ventilated patient. Design: Quasi experimental study had been conducted in Sudan – Khartoum state in three clinical setting. Sample: fifty ICU nurses were included as the entire population taken using census to achieve a desirable level of precision. The data was collected in four phases using a self administered questionnaire and observational checklist. Results: The nurse’s knowledge and practice were improved affected by the training program and the result of assessing nurse’s knowledge was good by 55% before intervention and this result was improved to be as good by 68% in posttest I and 80% in posttest II, the result was also statistically significant as a 95% confidence interval of the difference was not containing zero and P value < 0.005. The nursing skills showed markedly an improvement in score from pre intervention to post intervention as the following: Infection control increasing from 57% in pre to 78% in post intervention I and 88% in post intervention II. Patient and ventilator assessment was 30% in pre, 63% in post intervention I and 67.7% in post intervention II. Suctioning an ETT was 54% in pre, 70.9% in post intervention I and 78.7% in post intervention II. Suctioning tracheostomy was 61% in pre, 71.5% in post intervention I and 80% in post intervention II. Recommendations: Great emphasis should be directed towards the training aspects on mechanically ventilated patients. Keyword: Knowledge, Competence, Endotracheal tube, Tracheostomy and Critical care nurses