Factors Affecting Nursing Performance in Caring Patients with Cerebral Stroke during First Golden Hours

Context: Stroke associated with high mortality, morbidity and creates a significant and enduring impact on patients, their families, and the wider society. Aim: assess the nurses' performance for patients with cerebral stroke during first golden hours through assessing nurses' level of knowledge regarding cerebral stroke and their nursing management during first golden hours, assessing level of nurses' practices for patients with cerebral stroke during first golden hours and assess factors that affect nurses' performance in management of patients with cerebral stroke during first golden hours. Methods: A descriptive exploratory study design used to achieve the aim of this study. The study recruited a convenient sample of 80 nurses. Data collected from Intensive Care Units at Ain Shams University and the specialized hospital affiliated with Ain Shams University in Egypt. Two tools used for data collection: Nurses self-administered questionnaire, and nurses’ performance observational checklist. Results: This study revealed that 63.75% had an unsatisfactory level of knowledge, 68.8% had inadequate performance, and there were human and non-human resource factors, both affect negatively on nurses' performance in the management of patients with cerebral stroke. Conclusion: The study concluded that there was an unsatisfactory score of nurses' knowledge and practice and there were a human and non-human resource factors that affect negatively on nurse’s performance. Based on these findings the study recommended that periodic education programs must be developed for nurses about management of patients with cerebral stroke during first golden hours, and prospectively follow up studies are needed to develop and refine interventions.