Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of House Officers on the Use of Pulse Oximeter in Critically Ill Patients: A Quality Enhancement Study

Abstract Background: The pulse oximeter is an inexpensive and valuable device for managing critically ill patients. It is utilised in the diagnosis and evaluation of these patients by the medical team, including the house officers, who are the first-line healthcare providers, though under supervision. The knowledge, attitude, and practice of this cadre of doctors on the use of pulse oximeters is an important quality assurance review on basic critical care practice in our hospital setting. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving house officers in surgical rotation within a year. The participants filled out a pretested questionnaire regarding their knowledge, attitude, and practice of the use of pulse oximeters in critically ill patients. Questions relating to likely factors that may influence these variables were also asked. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the responses. Results: Fifty-one house officers participated in the study with a complete response rate of 98%. All the participants had used the device in practice. Good knowledge, appropriate attitude, and practice were seen in 66%, 70%, and 51% of the participants, respectively. Further training in critical care affected the knowledge of the participants significantly but not their attitude or practice. Conclusion: Pulse oximeters are readily available in the routine care of critically ill patients. House officers have a good knowledge and understanding of the principles of the use of this device; the practice of these doctors needs to be supervised with emphasis made on the right use of pulse oximeters.