Developing Competencies of Maternity Nurses on Relieving Postpartum Perineal Pain Using Cold Application

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Nursing competency is one of the factors to be considered in assessing the performance of a nurse. It includes knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) which could lead to the achievement of the goals of the nurse to the patient. A variety of nursing interventions aimed at relieving perineal pain are largely based on localized cooling. Unfortunately, these interventions may not follow the accurate nursing practice for providing immediate and adequate postpartum perineal pain relief. The accurate assessment and appropriate management of postpartum perineal pain requires high levels of nursing skills and competency. Aim of the study: To investigate developing competencies of maternity nurses on relieving postpartum perineal pain using cold application. Method: A quasi-experimental research design was used. Sample: A convenience sample of 70 staff nurses who had worked in the study settings and purposive sample of 200 postpartum women from the same place. Settings: The study was conducted at the postpartum unites in Teaching Hospital and University Hospital, at Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Instruments: Four instruments were used in this study for data collection, a structured interviewing questionnaire, competency standards checklist (CSC), short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and postpartum comfort questionnaire (PCQ). Results: There was an increase in the percentage of nurses who were classified at the good level in their knowledge and practice regarding perineal cold application to postpartum women in the post-intervention compared to the pre-intervention and overall competency practice increased significantly (p < .001) in the post-intervention compared to the pre-intervention. Conclusion: The nurses who are subjected to competency intervention about relieving the postpartum perineal pain using cold application had a higher knowledge score and a competent practice in the post-intervention than pre-intervention. Recommendations: In-service training programs should be provided for developing the nurses’ competency regarding postpartum perineal cold application in order to develop their best practice.