No abstract

The ECG is a non-invasive, effective, simple cardiac test and useful in diagnosing cardiac disorders and detecting any arrhythmia. It plays a critical role in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease. Nurses working in critical care areas are responsible for monitoring and interpreting ECGs. Aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of an education program on nurses' performance (knowledge and practice) regarding electrocardiography. Design: A quasi-experimental design was used. Setting: this study was conducted in the coronary units at Benha University Hospital. Sample: all nurses (n = 32) working at coronary units. Tools: Two tools were used a self administered questionnaire sheet to assess knowledge and observational checklist to assess practice regarding electrocardiography. Results: this study showed that the majority of the nurses had unsatisfactory knowledge and practice regarding electrocardiography pre program implementation (96.9% and 87.1% respectively) which improved significally immediately post program (90.6% and 87.5% respectively) p value <0.001, while this improvement lowered slightly post 3 months at follow up (78.1% and 81.2% respectively). Conclusion: the majority of the nurses were having an unsatisfactory performance (knowledge and practice) regarding electrocardiography pre the program implementation. Meanwhile, the majority of the studied nurses had got statistically significant improvement in their performance post the program implementation, while this improvement lowered slightly post three months at follow up, which supported the study hypothesis. Recommendation that the importane of continuous in-service training programs about ECG for the purpose of refreshing, updating the nurses knowledge and practice regarding ECG.

Background: Fall and pain consider a challenge for nurses in intensive care units because information of them is lacking. Aim of study: Evaluate the effect of an educational program about fall prevention and pain assessment on nurses' performance and critically ill patients' outcome. Design: A quasi experimental -design was used to accomplish the aim of this study. Setting: This study was carried out in general intensive care unit at Benha University Hospital. Sample: Convenience sample of all available nurses (65 nurses) who are working in ICU & A purposive sample of 60 patients who attended to ICU within 6 months. Tools: The following three data collection tools were used (I) Structured Questionnaire for Nurses. (II) Observational checklist regarding fall prevention and pain assessment. (III) Patients' outcomes assessment sheet. Results: The total nurses' knowledge & practice scores regarding fall prevention and pain assessment post educational program implementation were higher than pre implementation. Conclusion: The total nurses' knowledge and practice pre and post implementation of educational program are significantly positively correlated. In addition, after two weeks, the study group's patient outcomes improved more than those of the control group, with statistically significant differences at (p 0.05). Recommendation: A similar study should be replicated on a large sample and other place to generalize the findings.