Abstract
Introduction: In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the lack of adequate nutrition Knowledge among nurses. Nutrition training in the medical curriculum and for healthcare professionals is contradictory, inadequate, and weak. Nurses are one of the most reliable sources of nutritional information for patients; and yet, little research has been done so far on nurses’ information regarding their important role in nutritional care. Our study is designed to assess the current level of Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs). Methods: A four-part questionnaire was used in this study. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2019 to July 2020. The sample size consisted of 110 nurses based on the statistical data obtained from the nursing offices of two hospitals of Tabriz University of medical science including all the nurses working in the ICUs. Thereafter, all questionnaires were re-collected and data were finally analyzed. Results: Results showed that from 110 nurses which were included in this study, 73.6% had high Knowledge, 45.5% had moderate practices, and 58.2% had a positive attitude about nutritional support. Age and level of education had a significant correlation with their knowledge (P=0.005 and P=0.001, respectively). Nursing attitude had a significant correlation with age and the level of education (P=0.03 and P=0.003). And also, nursing practice had a significant relationship with age, work experience in the ICU, and the level of education (P=0.001, P=0.001 and P=0.004, P<0.05). Conclusion: Nurses surveyed in this study had a high knowledge, moderate practice and a positive attitude regarding nutritional care in patients admitted to the ICU.
Highlights
In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the lack of adequate nutrition Knowledge among nurses
Nurses surveyed in this study had a high knowledge, moderate practice and a positive attitude regarding nutritional care in patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs)
Attitudes, and practices of nurses towards nutritional care in critically ill patients and their relations to their demographic characteristics are shown in Tables 6 and 7
Summary
Malnutrition is one of the major topics in clinical practice that can be treated with appropriate nutritional care by health care providers. The main reasons for these changes are urbanization and social improving.[1] The American and the European Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN and ESPEN) have provided guidelines for assessing and determining nutritional care programs for patients at the risk of malnutrition.[2] Patients who are hospitalized with malnutrition experience longer hospital stays, more morbidity, higher mortality rates, and more complications compared to patients receiving adequate nutrition.[3] These clinical experiences and the lack of knowledge and awareness about them demonstrate a missing puzzle piece in nutrition.[4]. Evidence-based studies on nutritional care are advancing rapidly; so it seems that medical staff need to improve their practical nutritional skills. In this regard, improving the outcome of patients and reducing the costs of health care is clearly related to the quality of patients’ nutritional care. The present study was performed to assess the current level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) regarding the principles of nutrition
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