Impact of Glasgow Coma Scale training program on Nurses’ knowledge and practice in the neurological department

Background: The neurological care nurse practices the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) as a consistent, reliable, and objective neurological tool used to assess the alteration in consciousness level. Aim: assess the impact of the Glasgow coma scale training program on nurses’ knowledge and practice in the neurological department. Research Hypotheses: there will be significant differences in the total mean score knowledge and practice of neurological care nurses before and after implementing the training program. Research design: A quasi-experimental research design (single-group interrupted time series design). Sample: A convenience sample of 34 nurses who worked at neurological and stroke departments. Result: most of the studied sample (79.4%) were female. The total mean nurse’s knowledge scores increased in the second assessment time as compared to the first assessment time (18.5±2.81 – 2.60±4.36) respectively. However, there was a slight decline in the third assessment mean knowledge scores to be 16.93±3.01 as compared to the second assessment mean scores with a significant statistical difference between the three assessment times (F/P= 236.994, 0.00.P ≤ 0.05). Also, the nurse’s mean practice score regarding implementation of GCS in the second assessment was greater than the first assessment (2.83±0.25 - 0.61±0.69) respectively. Also there was a slight decline in the third assessment mean practice score to be (2.5±0.7) as compared to the second assessment mean practice scores with a significant statistical difference between the three assessment times (F/P= 131.100, 0.001.P ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The mean knowledge and practice scores of the studied sample regarding the Glasgow coma scale after exposure to the training program was higher than before exposure and all the studied sample had unsatisfactory knowledge and practice before exposure while after exposure most of the studied sample had satisfactory knowledge and practice regarding GCS. Recommendation: activating the application GCS within the neurological departments with continuous training and supervision for nurses.