Pitfalls in Nurses' Performance regarding Oxygen Therapy Administration at Neonatal Intensive Care Units : An Assessment Study

Background: Pitfalls in oxygen therapy administration can worsen a neonate's condition and can even be life threatening. Thus, ensuring that oxygen therapy is administered in a correct and safe way as well in the correct time is fundamental to neonates' nursing care. Aim: This study aimed to assess the pitfalls in nurses' performance regarding oxygen therapy administration at Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Study design: A descriptive study design was used. Study setting: This study was conducted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Units- El-Fayoum General Hospital affiliated to the Egyptian Ministry of Health. Study subjects: A convenient sample composed of 70 nurses who were working at the previously mentioned study setting and all available neonates (70) receiving O2 therapy during the research period (six months). Tools of data collection: A pre-designed questionnaire sheet, observation checklists and Attitude likart-type rating scale to assess pitfalls in nurses' performance regarding oxygen therapy administration at NICUs. Results: The results of this study showed that, the mean age of the studied nurses was 23.93±3.52 years and all of the studied nurses were females. More than three quarters of the studied nurses had unsatisfactory knowledge, less than two thirds of them had incompetent practices and the majority of them showed positive attitudes about pitfalls in nurses' performance regarding oxygen therapy administration at Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Also, more than half of studied nurses had an incompetent total performance regarding pitfalls of oxygen therapy administration to neonates at Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Conclusion: The study findings concluded that, there was a positive correlation and highly statistical significance difference among all the study variables (p-value < 0.001). Recommendations: Training programs should be applied for nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units to improve their knowledge and practice regarding pitfalls in oxygen therapy administration for neonates.