Nurses' Knowledge toward Measuring Vital Signs for Children in Medical Wards at Ibn Al-Atheer Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Mosul City

Abstract

Background: Today, vital signs play an important role in medical wards, to determine children at risk of deterioration. Aims of the study: The present study aimed to assess nurses' knowledge toward measuring vital signs for Children in medical wards at Ibn Al-Atheer Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Mosul City, and to figure out the relationship the relationship between nurses' knowledge and their demographic characteristics. Methodology: A descriptive design was carried out from 1st March until 30th June 2021 on nurses at medical wards in Ibn Al-Atheer Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Mosul City. A purposive sample for this study selected (40) nurses. The instrument is composed of two parts: part one included (7) items which focus on the nurses' demographic characteristics such as (age, gender, marital status, educational level, years of service in nursing, years of service in emergency wards, number of training courses in vital signs). Part two: which is consist of (32) questions. The content validity of the instrument consists of a panel of (12) experts. The dependability coefficient for knowledge is (0.83). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and significant at p-value ≤ 0.05 by using SPSS version (24). Results: Most nurses were in the age group between (20-29) years with (50 %). According to the gender, more than half of the study sample was female (52.5%), and having a secondary nursing school certificate was (57.5%). The years of service in medical wards are (1-9 years) were (77.5%), the nurses' knowledge which is moderate knowledge (52.5%), and find a significant relationship with the nurses' participation in a vital signs training course. Conclusion: The study Results revealed that the most nurses has moderate knowledge and a lower percentage of good knowledge. Also, a significant relationship between nurses' knowledge and the nurses' participation in training courses of vital signs. Recommendations: The study recommended organize the workshops for nurses who service in the medical wards, and training programs, and appropriate equipment for measuring vital signs in children available on medical wards.