Date of Award

11-4-2024

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MScN)

First Advisor

Ms. Yasmin Nadeem Parpio

Second Advisor

Ms. Sumia Andleeb Abbasi

Third Advisor

Mr. Muhammad Javeed

Department

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a cost-effective, quick, and safe test that nurses frequently use to identify cardiac rhythm abnormalities in clinical settings. It is the prime responsibility of nurses to monitor and interpret ECGs. Therefore, they must possess a strong understanding of ECGs to effectively monitor them and respond promptly to any changes in a patient's condition. Objective The research aimed to examine the level of knowledge and factors associated with ECG interpretation among nurses at a tertiary care facility in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: The study was conducted in a private-sector tertiary care hospital in Karachi, utilizing a quantitative analytical cross-sectional design with a sample size of 315 registered nurses involved in direct patient care between May and July 2024. The participants were selected through a consecutive sampling method. Pearson Chi-Square test of independence was done to identify the factors that affect nurses' knowledge of ECG interpretation, with a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:More than half of the nurses (53.7%) show low ECG interpretation knowledge. The mean ECG knowledge score was 18.87 (± 4.59), and only 1.9% of nurses correctly answered all the questions. The knowledge of ECG was significantly associated with working units (p < 0.001), total working experience (p = 0.026), critical care experience (p = 0.029), working position (p = 0.021), prior ECG training (p = 0.001), ACLS as a type of training (p < 0.001), clinical practice (p < 0.001) desire to learn ECG interpretation (p = 0.012), and frequency of ECG interpretation (p = 0.004).
Conclusion: The current study found that nurses demonstrated low knowledge regarding ECG. Duty rotations in CCUs, with immediate feedback from cardiologists or CCU nurses, could enhance nurses' ECG knowledge. Additionally, nurses require more and improved training regularly on an annual basis, with more targeted interventions and the support of ECG experts. Prospective research is needed to explore the most effective design for ECG education interventions, particularly with insights from qualitative inquiry.

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1

Last Page

84

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