Knowledge of intensive care nurses about mechanical ventilation: a cross-sectional analysis in a Brazilian public hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17267/2317-3378rec.2025.e6414Keywords:
Artificial Respiration, Surveys and Questionnaires, Nursing Education, Continuing Education, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of intensive care nurses regarding mechanical ventilation (MV). METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study involving bedside nurses working in intensive care units of a public hospital in Bahia, Brazil. A validated questionnaire with eleven questions about MV was used, addressing autonomy in MV management, ventilatory monitoring, equipment setup, care related to ventilator-associated pneumonia, and basic ventilatory modes. RESULTS: Eighty nurses participated in the study, most of whom were female (75%), with a median age of 39 years (interquartile range [IQR] 32–44) and a median of 9 (5–11) years since graduation. Among them, 43 (53.8%) reported having an average level of knowledge on the topic. Regarding MV knowledge, most participants (20%; n=16) answered only two questions correctly. The question with the highest number of correct answers concerned basic ventilatory modes (65%; n=52), while the one with the fewest correct answers addressed the MV triggering mechanism (12.5%; n=10). Notably, 70% of participants answered incorrectly regarding MV autonomy, stating it to be the exclusive responsibility of physicians or physiotherapists. CONCLUSION: There are significant gaps in the knowledge of intensive care nurses about MV, regardless of ICU experience, time since graduation, self-reported knowledge, or frequency of training.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Camilla de Souza Menezes, Helder Brito Duarte, Waleska Náyra da Silva Reis, Rafael Lima Rodrigues de Carvalho, Paloma de Castro Brandão, Alyne Henri Motta Coifman, Mariana de Almeida Moraes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
