Influence of Care Protocol on Nurses’ Performance and Clinical Outcomes for Patients with Tube Thoracostomy

Abstract

Background: Tube thoracostomy is a life-saving implementation for patients presenting with pneumothorax, effusions and hemothorax. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate influence of care protocol on nurses’ performance and clinical outcomes for patients with tube thoracostomy. Design: A quasi experimental design. Setting: The study was conducted at chest intensive care unit at Ain Shams University Hospitals. Sample: A convenient sample of all available nurses (30 nurses) from the previous mentioned settings willing to participate in the study and a purposive sample of 50 patients with tube thoracostomy divided into two groups: study & control group (25 patients in each group). Tools of data collection: I-Nurses’ performance assessment tool (demographic characteristics of nurses, nurses’ knowledge questionnaire and nurses’ practice observational checklist) II-Clinical outcomes assessment tool. Results: Concerning nurses’ level of performance (knowledge and practice) regarding tube thoracostomy care pre and post implementation of care protocol, there were statistically significant differences between mean scores of the pre and post-tests. Regarding clinical outcomes for patients with tube thoracostomy, there were statistically significant differences between control group and study group all over the variables of outcomes. Conclusion: Application of care protocol for patient with tube thoracostomy has a positive influence on nurses’ performance; and consequently had a positive influence in refinement the outcomes for patients in the study group rather than the control group with a statistically significant difference. Recommendations: Importance of presence of care protocol related to care of patients with tube thoracostomy and further researches should be done to assess and evaluate the clinical outcomes for patients with tube thoracostomy