An investigation into the physical assessment abilities of critical care nurses in an internationally recognized hospital

Abstract Objective Physical assessment is an indispensable and pivotal skill that nurses must aptly monitor, evaluate, and deliver timely care, particularly in the context of critically ill patients. However, studies have revealed instances where nurses demonstrate inaccurate practices. This study is aimed to measure the physical assessment skills of critical care nurses and the differences between levels of nursing education. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving a simple random sample of 101 nurses employed in critical care units. Results Of the 101 participants, 56.4% were identified as female and 43.6% were male. In the sample, 71.0% held a diploma in nursing, while 29.0% held a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Vital signs, orientation, and skin assessments were performed correctly in ≥90% of cases, whereas the majority (≥60%) did not correctly assess neck veins, Homan’s signs, breath sounds, heart sounds, and bowel sounds. Only ≤10% of participants accurately executed these assessments. Significant associations were found between sex and pain ( P =0.034), as well as between the type of education and closure of the health assessment ( P =0.041). Further, female nurses scored 10.0 ± 2.3, and male nurses 8.5 ± 2.5, diploma holders scored 9.4 ± 1.8, and BSN holders scored 9.3 ± 2.7 at the global rating. Conclusions The presence of an existing gap in the accurate assessment of patients poses a potential risk to patient care. It is essential to investigate the factors contributing to this gap and to develop strategies to address it, thereby enhancing the quality of physical assessment and ultimately improving patient care.