Evaluation of the knowledge and skills of the nurses working in the emergency department about Endotracheal Tube application and affecting factors

Introduction: The process of placing a tube into the trachea to secure the airway or control breathing is called endotracheal intubation. It is used in situations that require longer than 1-2 hours ventilation support or arterial oxygenation. With endotracheal intubation, the freedom and openness of the airways are provided, while the respiratory activities of the patient are maintained. Endotracheal intubation is an important life-saving intervention; therefore, all healthcare professionals should be fully aware of this procedure. Objective: In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between the knowledge and skills of nurses working in the emergency department about endotracheal intubation and sociodemographic data. Method: In this study, a descriptive cross-sectional design was used and it was carried out in the emergency room of the medical city of Al-Sadder, AL-Najaf, AL-Ashraf, between 1 November 2021 and 31 April 2022. The total number of nurses in the hospital research sample is 182. The sample size was determined as 110 according to the 95% and 50% confidence intervals. A total of 100 nurses who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in this study were included. Data were collected through the Introductory Information Form, the Endotracheal intubation Information Test and the Endotracheal intubation Performance Test. Results: According to the results of the study, the mean knowledge score of the nurses was 13.79 ± 1.83, and the mean skill score was 6.88 ± 1.53. It was observed that the "Endotracheal Intubation Knowledge Test" of the nurses whose age group was "22-25" was significantly lower than the other age groups (u=15.801; p<0.05). It is seen that the "Endotracheal Intubation Application Test" of the nurses whose age group is "22-25" is significantly lower than the other age groups (u=11.239; p<0.05). "Endotracheal Intubation Knowledge Test" was found to be significantly higher in married compared to singles (u=680, p<0.05). The mean scores of the "Endotracheal Knowledge Test" of the nurses who participated in the training on Endotracheal Intubation were found to be significantly higher than the nurses who did not participate in the training (u=826,5; p<0.05). A significant and positive relationship was found between the "Knowledge Test" and the years of hospital experience (r=0.381; p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that there was a significant relationship between the "Endotracheal Tube Knowledge and Practice Test" and some socio-demographic factors. A more detailed and wider sample was used to determine the mean score of knowledge and practice regarding meat tube application. studies are recommended.