Knowledge and Attitude of Nursing Students toward Electroconvulsive Therapy

Abstract

Background:Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the commonly used treatment modalities for patients with severe mental disorders. However, acceptance of ECT by the patient and relatives often depends on how the health-care professionals themselves present the treatment modality to the patients and their relatives. There is a lack of information about the knowledge and attitude toward ECT among health professionals.Aim:This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge about and attitude toward ECT among nursing students.Methodology:Knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT among nursing students were assessed using ECT knowledge and attitude questionnaires.Results:The study included 183 nursing students. Majority (n = 62; 60.8%) of the participants obtained information about ECT from media (movies, television, print media, etc.). None of the students had full knowledge about ECT. Although a significant proportion of students had knowledge about the ECT procedure and consent procedure, majority of them had poor knowledge about the effectiveness, mechanism of action, indications, and side effects of ECT. Negative attitudes were also highly prevalent, with more than two-thirds of the participants having negative attitudes toward ECT on more than half of the attitude items of the scale. Total knowledge score positively correlated with total attitude score, suggesting that higher knowledge was associated with more positive attitude.Conclusions:Although nursing students have knowledge about basic ECT procedure and consent, they lack knowledge about the effectiveness, mechanism of action, indications, and side effects of ECT. Negative attitude toward ECT is also highly prevalent among nursing students. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the knowledge and address the negative attitude of nursing students, which may ultimately lead to better acceptance of the treatment.

Effect of Simulation-based Medical Education in Small Groups on Improving the Quality of Nursing Care in Patients Under Electroconvulsive Therapy

“…Nurses play an important role in ECT because they are in full contact with the patient before, during, and after the procedure. The performance of the nurses who take care of patients in ECT room has a direct impact on the quality of implementation and effectiveness of this treatment (6). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that teamwork has a significant impact on patient safety, especially when all team members follow a single procedure.…”

“…Therefore, this study aimed to find a method to enhance the skill and competence of ECT caregivers. One of the methods used to train nursing skills is simulation, which is a technique or tool for creating the features of real phenomena (6).…”

Mental Health Nurse experiences of delivering care to severely depressed adults receiving electroconvulsive therapy

“…Nurses play an essential role in ECT, because of their close involvement with patients before and after the procedure. Knowledge and attitude of the nursing staff working in ECT rooms therefore can have direct impact on the quality of their nursing practice (Sharma et al, 2017). Understanding nurses' views on ECT is also vital for patients attending for this treatment, as patients may present with concerns regarding ECT treatment, with common anxieties expressed Aim: The overall aim of this study is to explore the views of mental health nurses who provide nursing care to people receiving ECT for severe depressive illness in a mental health setting.…”

“…However, ECT is also still regarded as a stigmatized treatment (Ramos-Garcia & González-Salazar, 2013), viewed by some communities as controversial, painful and frightening (Ottosson & Fink, 2012). It is acknowledged that acceptance of ECT by the patient and family members often depends on how healthcare professionals present it as a treatment option (Sharma et al, 2017). This research aims to explore the views of mental health nurses providing nursing care to people receiving ECT as a treatment for severe depressive illness.…”

Mental health professionals’ attitudes toward and knowledge about electroconvulsive therapy at Weskoppies Hospital, South Africa

“…Nurses’ knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT are therefore likely to have an influence on patients and their relatives’ attitudes toward ECT. Sharma, Ghai, and Grover found that nursing students lack knowledge about the effectiveness, mechanisms of action, indications, and side effects of ECT. De Meulenaere M, De Meulenaere J, Ghaziuddin & Sienaert1 found knowledge about ECT to be low even amongst psychiatrists.…”