Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation Knowledge Level of the Nurses: A Questionnaire Survey in a Tertiary Care Training and Research Hospital

Objective: The correct use of necessary equipment is the key for a successful noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) practice. Trained health care personnel are important part of the practice. The current study was conducted to that end, with the aim of determining the level of knowledge about NIMV of nurses working in a training and research hospital as descriptive.
Methods: The study was conducted with 147 nurses who are working at Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital in Ýstanbul. Questionnaire form of 36 questions prepared by investigators was used to collect data. For the analysis of the results, numerical, percentages, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests were used.’
Results: 40.8% nurses had received training about NIMV. By contrast, 24.5% stated that they had learned NIMV practices on their own. The lowest rate (26.5%) of correct answered question was “disadvantages of oronasal mask”. The most answered statement as true was “Face masks should be established to the patient’s face with no gaps for prevention of leaks and the mask should be worn not to pressure on nasal bridge” (78.9%). Female and postgraduate nurses‘ total scores obtained from NIMV questions were higher than others and were statistically significant (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The effective NIMV practices requires trained personnel. Nurses who have active role in NIMV practices should receive basic training in this topic. How will be started treatment, indications, who will be responsible for follow-up and points to take into consideration are mentioned clearly in the training program. This training programme should include processing of clinical experience as well as theoretical information.