Nurses' Performance Regarding Life Threatening Ventricular Dysrhythmias among Critically Ill Patients

Background: Ventricular dysrhythmias (VD) are the important cause of cardiovascular
morbidity and mortality, particularly in those with structural heart disease. It is fundamental
importance for nurses to recognize normal and pathological electrocardiographic tracings and
allowing the adoption of appropriate and immediate interventions. Aim of the study: was to assess
nurses' performance regarding life threatening ventricular dysrhythmia among critically ill patients
in intensive care units at Zagazig University Hospitals. Subjects and Methods: Research design:
A descriptive design was utilized to achieve the aim of this study and to answer the research
questions. Setting: The study was conducted at all cardiac Intensive Care Units at Zagazig
University Hospitals. Subjects: A convenient sample of 50 nurses was included in this study. Tools
of data collection: Two tools were used; Questionnaire and observational checklists regarding life
threatening VD. Data were collected over a period of six months started from July 2018 to
December 2018. Results: The results of the study revealed that the majority of the studied nurses
their age ranged from 20-29 years old and was female, near to half of nurse's graduated from
bachelor nursing, and two third of nurses had years of experience in ICU more than 2 years. The
present study clarified that three quarter of the studied nurses had unsatisfactory knowledge and
more than half of them had unsatisfactory practice regarding life threatening ventricular
dysrhythmias. Conclusion: Based on the results can be concluded that the studied nurses had
unsatisfactory level of knowledge and practice regarding life threatening VD and need to be
improved. Also, there was no significant relation between total knowledge score and total practice
score. Recommendations: the study is recommended to there is a need to In–service training
programs for the purpose of updating the knowledge and skills of nurses working with intensive
care units for early identification and management of life threatening dysrhythmias and Periodic
evaluation of nurses' knowledge and practice.