Awareness of nurses concerning the procedure of hemodialysis and related complications

Abstract EN

Objectives : this study performed to determine Sociodemographic characteristics of the nurses and assess their awareness concerning the procedure of hemodialysis and related complications in under treatment patients with hemodialysis in Kirkuk General Hospital.

Methodology : A descriptive study, which uses the assessment approach and it was conducted on nurses from February 6th, 2011 to June 2nd, 2011, using non-probability sampling a purposive sample of (19) subject (male and female nurses) who worked at heamodialysis unite in Kirkuk General Hospital / The City of Kirkuk.

The data were collected through the utilization of a questionnaire, which was developed for the purpose of the study by using the scale (I know, Uncertain, I don’t know).

It was comprised of three parts, which included the nurses' demographic characteristics, Information related to the hemodialysis procedure and the complication of hemodialysis.

Data were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistical data analysis approach (frequency, percentage, mean of scores), Awareness of the nurses in items of (Part II and III) are determined as following :- (adequate = 3-2.33), (moderate = 2.32-1.67), and (inadequate = 1.66-1).

Results : the study had revealed that an age group (23–27) year represent the greater percentage of the sample which constitutes (42.0 %), and more than half of the nurses were male which represent (58.0 %).

Relative to the subjects' marital status, two third (68.0 %) of the sample were married.

Concerning the years of employment, one third (37.0 %) of the nurses have worked for (< 1) year and more than two third 68 % of the nurses were college graduate.

Conclusions : the study concluded that the nurses had inadequate awareness regarding catheter placement, care of (muscle cramp, chest pain, and shortness of breathing).

And majority of them did not document every nursing procedure.

Grand mean for total mean of scores for nurses awareness concerning the procedure of hemodialysis was (2.31), and (2.30) for the complications of hemodialysis.

The study concluded that nurses awareness were moderately adequate concerning both the procedure of hemodialysis and related complications.

Recommendations : A standardized written protocol, special for hemodialysis procedure and managing related complications needs to develop for the nursing staff.

In addition, the nurses should participate in continues nursing education to enforce their knowledge regarding their selection (hemodialysis and related complication, and generalization the necessity of nursing documentation.