Nurses’PerformanceRegarding Caring for Patients with Esophageal Variceal Bleeding

Abstract

Background : Variceal hemorrhage is a serious life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. The patient with esophageal variceal bleeding may present with hematemesis, melena, or general deterioration in mental or physical status and symptoms of shock. Nursing care is very important during initial period to achieve best possible outcome and have good prognosis for the patient. Aim: This study aimed toassess nurse's performance regarding care of patients with esophageal variceal bleeding. Design A descriptive exploratory design was utilized for the conduction of this study. Setting the study was carried out in intensive care unit of hematemsis at Elmery hospital affiliated to Alexandria University. Study sample: A purposive subject of (40) registered nurses caring for patients with EVB. Data Tools: three tools were used for data collection; 1st tool was nurses ' self-administered questionnaire and the 2 nd tool was nurses’practice observational checklist and 3 rd tool was nurses' attitude questionnaire. Result: the results of this study showed that, nearly three quarters of the studied nurses were having unsatisfactory total level of knowledge regarding pain management of patients with EVB, while more than half of them had got satisfactory level of practice and more than half of them had positive attitude. Conclusion: There were unsatisfactory level of knowledge, satisfactory level of practice among nurses under study. Recommendations: In-service training program must be developed based on need assessment for nurses in relation to care and management associated with EVB and evaluating the effect of its implementation on their performance and patients' outcome.