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International Journal of Emergency and Trauma Nursing and Practices Original Research

Study to Assess the Effectiveness of a Structured Teaching Program on Knowledge Regarding Management of Snake Bite at the Emergency Department Among Emergency Care Nurses at Selected Health Wellness Centers

  1. V.G. Veeresh Department of Nursing, Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute
  2. Sujata Japannavar Department of Nursing, Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute

Abstract

Animal bites are the leading cause of death; the delay in identification of bites, accessibility to medical aid, and transportation are contributing factors for morbidity. Among the animal bites snake bite is the most crucial and anxiety-filled situation for the casualties. Early rapid identification of the type of bite and prompt intervention will restore emergency. Emergency department working nurses are the first responders for the management of all casualties. The knowledge of early identification, classification, and selection of appropriate antiserum venom is essential in guarding the vitals of the casualties. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the knowledge of emergency care nurses regarding the management of snake bites. A one-group pretest-posttest design for 106 emergency care nurses from the emergency department was selected by purposive sampling. A 35 multiple-choice structured knowledge questionnaire was developed, with a content validity index of 90% and a reliability coefficient of 0.89. The study was conducted by a pretest knowledge assessment followed by a structured teaching program to educate about the management of snake bites and a posttest to assess the improvement in the knowledge level of emergency care nurses. The mean pretest knowledge score was 11.60, while the mean posttest knowledge score was 29.64, the difference in the test scores signified the effectiveness of structured teaching program at t-value 7.56 for 105 degrees of freedom at p value ≤0.001 and the mean% of knowledge enhancement was 51.54, The study concluded that the structured teaching program was effective in improving the knowledge of emergency care nurses regarding the management of snake bites. It also recommended the need for continuing education programs to help nurses update their knowledge and protocols related to snake bite management, thereby ensuring optimal care, and enhancing patient survival in emergencies.

Keywords

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