To assess the effectiveness of simulation teaching of defibrillation on the knowledge and skill of nurses working in the critical care unit of a Tertiary Care Teaching Institute: Prospective, randomised study

Abstract

Rapid defibrillation is a life-saving treatment for pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation which are the most common cardiac cause of sudden death. Simulation teaching has been shown as an effective teaching method for nurses. The present study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of planned simulation teaching regarding defibrillation on the knowledge and skill of nurses working in the critical care unit and emergency department of a tertiary care hospital. A randomised control design was used in which 100 nurses from the emergency department and critical care unit were randomly assigned to the experimental and control group. Baseline knowledge and skill were assessed using an investigator developed defibrillation knowledge assessment questionnaire and defibrillation skill assessment checklist, respectively. Simulation teaching was given in the experimental group. The simulation teaching was provided in the clinical area in a group of 3–4 nurses. Post-test 1 was taken immediately after the simulation teaching in the experimental group. Post-test 2 was taken after 1 month of enrolment in the study in both the groups with the same tool. A significant improvement in knowledge and skill was observed in the experimental group. A significant association of pre-test knowledge with gender, age, educational qualification, education program attended, experience with defibrillation and of the post-test knowledge with gender, nature of work, experience with defibrillation, educational qualification and age were found. A significant association of pre-test skill with nature of work and post-test skill with gender and nature of work was also found. A significant moderate positive correlation (r = 0.42) was found between the knowledge and skill on nurses. Simulation teaching is an effective method for increasing knowledge and skill among nurses. The present study has further opened up new avenues into nurse-led defibrillation initiatives in India.