Assessment of Nurses' Knowledge and Practice Regarding Thrombolytic Therapy among Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Background: Thrombolytic therapy is the established treatment for acute myocardial infarction and nurses are considered the first professionals who interact and assess the patients and give the prescribed treatment. So, it is important for nurses to have sufficient knowledge and practice on thrombolytic therapy to manage patients' medications competently. Aim of the study: Assess the nurses' knowledge and practice regarding thrombolytic therapy among patients with acute myocardial infarction, Design: descriptive research design was used in the study. Setting: The current study was carried out at Critical Care Units affiliated to the Suez Canal University Hospital, Subject: A convenient sample of all available staff nurses (40 nurses) who were working at the previously mentioned settings, Tools of data collection: The data were collected using two tools named nurses' knowledge assessment questionnaire and nurses' observational checklist. Result, 95% and 82.5 % of studied nurses had unsatisfactory level of knowledge and practice respectively about thrombolytic therapy among patients with acute myocardial infarction. Conclusion, nurses in critical care unite had unsatisfactory level of knowledge and practice regarding thrombolytic therapy among acute myocardial infarction patients. Recommendation, implementation of educational program to improve nurses' knowledge and practice about thrombolytic therapy among patients with acute myocardial infarction.