Assessing the effect of awareness of international oxygen therapy guidelines on oxygen administration practices among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey of nurses working in the pediatric and medical departments of a National Teaching and

Awareness of International Oxygen Therapy Guidelines (IOTG) may have impacted oxygen therapy experience during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This study explored if nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) were aware of IOTG and if this awareness influenced their practice of oxygen administration during Covid-19 era. A survey of 80 nurses, from both pediatric and medical departments was carried out. Data collection was done through a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the association between variables with Chi-square and t -test at p < 0.05. The mean age of the respondents was 39.82 ± 9.32, and 66.3 % were females. Respondents had an average of 2.47 years (±2.35) since the last oxygen therapy refresher training. Over 60 % of participants had been administered oxygen less than a month preceding the survey. Lack of awareness of IOTG ( X 2 = 7.113 (df = 1, n = 80), p = 0.008 ) and experience administering oxygen to a covid-19 patient ( X 2 = 6.851 (df = 1, n = 80), p = 0.018 ) , were associated with low awareness of Covid-19 ventilation and oxygenation guidelines. Experience of having administered Oxygen to a Covid-19 patient ( X 2 = 6.851 (df = 1, n = 80), p = 0.018 ) and having reviewed or used any guidelines on oxygen therapy ( X 2 = 7.113 (df = 1, n = 80), p = 0.008 ) were significantly associated with awareness of covid 19 ventilation and oxygenation guidelines. Further regular training in oxygen therapy is needed to ensure good clinical practice.