Evaluation of the Training Given to Emergency Department Nurses on Ventrogluteal Site Injection Administration: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Evidence-based data recommends injection to the ventrogluteal (VG) site instead of the dorsogluteal (DG) site for intramuscular injection (IMI) due to the risk of sciatic nerve damage. Despite this, it has been seen that nurses do not prefer this site due to insufficient information and negative opinions. The aim of this study was to determine how the training on administering an injection to the site provided to the nurses affects their knowledge, view and preference for the practice. The study design was a single-group, quasi-experimental pretest-posttest. The study was conducted with 30 nurses in the Adult Emergency Service of Hacettepe University Hospitals in Ankara, Turkey, between May and August 2020. The data was collected by using a nurse information form and forms that evaluated the nurses’ knowledge, opinions and practices regarding using the VG site. The data was analysed by using number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Friedman test, Wilcoxon test, and McNemar test. As a result of the study, it was found that while the views of 86.7% (n = 26) of the nurses about the VG site changed positively after the training, the mean score of the VG site was 14.80+3.09 before the training, and 18.50+1.68 after the training (p < .001). After the training, 7 of 16 nurses started to prefer the VG site for injection administration (p > .05). The training provided on the VG site increased the knowledge of nurses, changed their views, and affected their preference for the practice. It is recommended that nurses repeat the training on IMI administration to the VG site and assess their abilities on a regular basis.