Effect of Implementing Nursing Care Guidelines on Nurses' Knowledge for orthopedic patients undergoing External Fixation

Abstract

Background: Pin site infections are a major hazard of external fixation that can be extremely stressful. Nurses are vitalin the prevention of pin site infections. Aim: to assess the effect of implementing nursing care guidelines on nurses'knowledge for orthopedic patients undergoing external fixation. Design: a quasi-experimental research approach wasused. Sample: A convenient sample of 40 nurses from the orthopaedic departments of Kafrelsheikh University Hospitaland a general hospital was used. Tools: It was a self-administered questionnaire sheet with two parts: part 1 containeddemographic data of the nurses investigated, and part 2 covered nurses' knowledge of the care given to the patients with external fixation. Results: after the implementation of the nursing care guidelines, t Nurses' knowledge increasedstatistically significantly (p0.001), and there was a significant association between nurses' educational level and theirknowledge. (p=0.016). Conclusion: Using the developed nursing care guidelines improved nurses' knowledge of caringfor patients with external fixation. Recommendations: Nurses working in orthopaedic wards, particularly those who arerecently employed, should be provided with up-to-date information regarding external fixations through continuingeducation programmes.