Nurses’ Performance Regarding the Neurological Assessment in Neurosurgical Unit

Abstract

Neurological disorders are diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. It includes epilepsy, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, brain tumor, brain trauma, and neurological disorders because of malnutrition. The neurological assessment is a key component in the care of the neurological patient. It can help to detect the presence of neurological disease or injury and monitor its progression, determine the type of care you will provide, and gauge the patient's response to your interventions (WHO, 2014). This study aims to assess nurses' performance regarding the neurological assessment in neurosurgical unit. This aim will be achieved through the following: 1. Assessing the nurses' level of knowledge regarding the neurological assessment of patients in neurosurgical unit. 2. Assessing the nurses' practice and attitude regarding the neurological assessment of patients in neurosurgical unit.

Research Questions: The current study answered two questions: 1. What are the nurses' levels of knowledge regarding the neurological assessment of patients in neurosurgical unit? 2. What are the nurses' practice and attitude regarding the neurological assessment of patients in neurosurgical unit? Research Design: A descriptive design will be used to conduct the study. Setting: The present study was conducted at the Neurosurgical Unit at Ain Shams University Hospital. Subjects: A convenience sample of 50 nurses at the Neurosurgical Unit at Ain Shams University. Tools used to accomplish the aim of this study: Three tools were used in the present study as follows: 1- Self-administered nurses Questionnaire sheet (Appendix I): it is an interviewing questionnaire filled by the nurses to assess nurses' level of knowledge regarding the neurological assessment. 2- Nurses performance Observational Checklist (Appendix II): it was developed by the researcher based on comprehensive reviewing and recent literature to assess level of nurses’ practice regard neurological assessment. 3- Nurses attitude questionnaire sheet (Appendix III): consists of 20 statements to assess nurses’ attitude regarding neurological assessment. Participants were asked to respond on a 3-point Likert Scale. Results: The results of the study showed that: • The mean age for nurses included in the study was 37. 64 ±4.57, while all of the study nurses were males &females. Also it reveal that; the majority of them were females more than half (58%) of them had diploma degree. • More than one third (40%) of nurses under the study had more than 5 years of experience & about two third (62%) didn't attend any nursing training course. • About two thirds (60%) of them their total knowledge regarding to neurological assessment were unsatisfactory. • More than three quarters (78%) of them their total