Intensive Care Units (ICUs)
provide patients with life-saving care. It contains an
environment which is unique and has the most
sophisticated medical, nursing and technical
interventions which can be integrated to combat lifethreatening illness. This environment provides for the
patient’s maximum security and protection with its
sophisticated electronic equipment, highly competent
and attentive staff members1
.
Nurses must critically analyze the relationship
between the physical and psychological stressors and
must be cautious to evaluate the risk and benefit of
various interventions, so the nurse has to implement
strategies to minimize and manage the various sensory
alterations that can develop in patients admitted to
ICUs1
Statement of problem:The present study aimed to
evaluate the effectiveness of In-service education on
knowledge of nurses regarding prevention and
management of sensory alterations in patients admitted
to ICUs Bangalore.
Objectives: To assess the knowledge of nurses on
prevention and management of sensory alterations in
patients admitted to ICUs.To evaluate the effectiveness
of In-service education on knowledge of nurses’
prevention and management of sensory alterations in
patients admitted to ICUs.To find the association
between the pre-test knowledge scores and selected
demographic variables.
Methods: The conceptual framework for this study was
based on Modified Open System Model by J.W. Kenny.
Pre-experimental one group pre-test and post test design
was adopted for the study. Content validity and
reliability of the tool was established where [r = .96].
The pilot study was conducted before conducting the
main study. Thirty nurses were selected for the study
through convenience sampling technique. The data was
collected by using self administered structured
knowledge questionnaire to assess the knowledge of
nurses on prevention and management of sensory
alterations in patients admitted to ICUs. An In-service
education was conducted as an intervention strategy.
The final data was collected, analyzed and interpreted by
using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: The results of the study showed that the overall
mean pre-test knowledge score was 11.37 and the overall
post test knowledge mean score was 17.7. ‘t’ value t(29) =
23.93** was significant at 0.05 level. Hence the research
hypothesis [H1] was accepted. There was no association
between pre-test knowledge scores and selected
demographic variables. Hence research hypothesis [H2]
is rejected.
Conclusion: The study concluded that the In-service
education was an effective teaching strategy to enhance
the knowledge of ICU nurses regarding prevention and
management of sensory alterations in patients admitted
to ICU.