NURSES’ SHORT PERIPHERAL CATHETER FLUSHING: EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDELINES ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES

Background: Institutional variation in policies and practices related to short peripheral catheter flushing (SPCF) lead to a paucity of knowledge regarding the variables that affect nurses' SPCF practices and their impact on results, which could potentially improve clinical education for nurses, institutional policy initiatives, and patient care. Aim: To evaluate the effect of instructional guidelines on nurses’ knowledge and practices regarding short peripheral catheter flushing. Design: A quasi-experimental (pre/post-test) research design was utilized to conduct the study. Sample and setting: A convenient sample of 50 nurses who were working in the Surgical Unit at Menoufia University Hospitals. Tools: Two tools were used for data collection involved a structured interviewing questionnaire (tool I) which include nurses’ personal data and knowledge; observational checklist for nurses’ practice (tool II). Results: The study's findings revealed a very statistically significant positive association between the nurses' total knowledge and total practice scores who were being evaluated before and after the introduction of instructional guidelines for flushing short peripheral catheters. Conclusion: It was found that instructional guidelines improved nurses' knowledge and application of brief peripheral catheter flushing. Recommendations: Nurses should have access to ongoing educational opportunities and in-service training programs on short peripheral catheter flushing to advance their expertise.