Impact of Application of Nursing Guidelines on Health Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Endoscopes

Background: Endoscopy is a nonsurgical procedure used to examine a person's digestive tract.
Using an endoscope, a flexible tube with a light and camera attached to it, the doctor can view
pictures of the digestive tract on a color TV monitor. Aim of this study was to evaluate impact of
application of nursing guidelines on health outcomes for patients undergoing gastrointestinal
endoscopes. Subjects and methods: A quasi-experimental research design was used. A convenient
sample was used; it includes all nursing staff working with patient undergoing GI endoscopy (40
nurses) and 240 adult patients. This study conducted at GI endoscopy unit at Al-Azhar University
Hospital at new Damietta city. Three tools used for data collection. Tool (1) is a pre/post-patient
structured interview. Tool (2) is a pre \ post nurse structured interview. Tool (3) is an observational
check list for nurses’ practice. Results, show a significant improvement in the nurses' knowledge
and practice scores after nursing guidelines implementation regarding the care of patients with GIT
endoscopy at (p- value = 0.00, 0.02 & 0.04) respectively. Positive significant correlation between
nurses’ knowledge and practice before and after guidelines implementation in the following items
(general preparation - pre-procedure) post procedure items and total practice score. Conclusion,
there was significant improvement in nurse's knowledge and practice about care of patients
undergoing GI endoscopy after implementation of nursing guidelines. As well as improving patient
outcomes. The study recommended that Continuous and adequate education and training of
nursing staff working at gastrointestinal endoscopy units with regular and continuous evaluation of
nurses' practice.