Examination of pediatric nurses' knowledge of anaphylaxis

Purpose: Anaphylaxis is a severe and systemic allergic reaction with sudden onset that can lead to death. The frequency of anaphylaxis is 50-112/100.000/year and the estimated prevalence is 0.3-5.1%.Although its incidence is not known exactly, it increases rapidly for all age groups and is 3 times higher in the 0-4 age group. Rapid diagnosis and early treatment of anaphylaxis is vital. Reactions that are not met with appropriate medical intervention or not treated appropriately often result in death. The accuracy of the healthcare professionals' approach to anaphylaxis is extremely important for them to recognize anaphylaxis and to intervene correctly in the early period. Evaluation of the knowledge level of nurses, who constitute the largest part of health workers, on anaphylaxis is of great importance in this direction. The aim of this study is to evaluate the anaphylaxis knowledge levels of pediatric nurses. Materials and Methods: Current study is of descriptive type. It was conducted in Turkey between January-April 2022. Nurses working in pediatric clinics and volunteering to participate were included in the study. In this study, data were collected through an online questionnaire form and an online question answering system. 80 pediatric nurses participated in the study. Sociodemographic data form and anaphylaxis knowledge level assessment form designed by the researcher were used in the study. Findings: The average knowledge score of the pediatric nurses was found to be 12.61 ± 2.61. This result shows that the nurses' knowledge of anaphylaxis is moderate. The mean score of the group with more professional experience is higher than those with less professional experience. The knowledge level of the older group is higher than the younger age groups. However, there is no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: The knowledge level of pediatric nurses is moderate. Pediatric Nurses' anaphylaxis knowledge deficits are more in the field of treatment and drug administration. It is suggested that more attention should be given to these issues in training plans. There is no statistically significant difference on the level of knowledge, even for the nurses with longer period of professional experience. It is recommended to increase the knowledge level of nurses regularly with in-service trainings. It is recommended to increase the knowledge level of nurses by conducting more studies on this subject. The questionnaire in this study can be used in future studies. Keywords: anaphylaxis, education, nurse, level of knowledge, child