Knowledge assessment of respiratory therapists on endotracheal tube suctioning in intensive care units of public hospitals in Sana'a, Yemen

Background Endotracheal suctioning involves the insertion of a suction catheter into the patient's trachea to remove and prevent the accumulation of secretions in the lungs of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Respiratory therapists are responsible for this procedure, so they must have strong knowledge of airway clearance in general, and endotracheal tube suctioning specifically, to implement the suction procedure without complications and with maximum benefit. Methods A descriptive study was conducted, including all respiratory therapists working in public hospitals in Sana'a City, Yemen, who were invited to participate. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Twenty questions were used to assess the participants' knowledge. Scores were classified as high if above 80%, intermediate if between 70-80%, and low if below 70%. Descriptive statistics were used to interpret demographic data and descriptive measures. The chi-square test for categorical data was used to find the association between knowledge level and demographic characteristics, with a P-value ≤ 0.05 considered significant. Results About two-thirds (68%) of participants were male, and 69% were between 21 and 30 years old. 98% of participants had a three-year diploma degree, and 78% had 1-5 years of experience. More than four-fifths (83%) of participants had training courses in airway clearance, and three-quarters (75%) had training in endotracheal tube suctioning techniques. 5% of participants had a high level of knowledge about ETT suctioning and answered the study questions correctly, while 11% had moderate knowledge. More than two-thirds (84%) of participants had low-level knowledge, as defined by the study questionnaire results. There was a significant association between the level of education and knowledge of the respiratory therapists toward endotracheal tube suctioning with p–value (0.025). In contrast, there was no association between each of the variables ( Age, years of Experience) and the level of knowledge and endotracheal tube suctioning. Conclusions There is a significant association between educational level and the level of knowledge of respiratory therapists regarding endotracheal tube suctioning. We recommend that respiratory therapists advance their knowledge in airway clearance, specifically endotracheal tube suctioning, through continuous training based on evidence-based best practices. Keywords: Endotracheal tube suction, knowledge, Respiratory therapists