Examination of pediatric nurses' knowledge of anaphylaxis: a descriptive study

Abstract

Anaphylaxis is a vital systemic allergic reaction. A rapid diagnosis of anaphylaxis is lifesaving. In most cases, nurses are the first to encounter and intervene in anaphylaxis. Therefore, they have a vital responsibility in such cases. The aim of this study is to create a questionnaire and evaluate the anaphylaxis knowledge levels of pediatric nurses. This is a descriptive type of study. The study took place in Turkey. 80 pediatric nurses who work in pediatric intensive care, neonatal intensive care, child service, and pediatric emergency service participated in the study. The sociodemographic data collection form and the anaphylaxis knowledge level assessment form was used for the study. ANOVA and t-test are used to evaluate the data. The average anaphylaxis knowledge score of the pediatric nurses was found 12.61 +/- 2.61, therefore it's moderate. The reliability of the questionnaire was high. Knowledge levels were moderately sufficient in diagnoses and insufficient in treatment and follow-up. Considering how critical anaphylaxis is, the moderately sufficient and insufficient knowledge levels are not substantial and should be increased advancedly. The questionnaire created for this study can be used in future studies. Health institutions should plan training regarding anaphylaxis and recompose anaphylaxis training in general, elaborate treatment and follow-up, and assess pediatric nurses' knowledge periodically.