Assessment of blood pressure measurement technique amongst nurses working at a tertiary care cardiac center

TL;DR

The study found that most nurses at a cardiac center lacked proper skills and knowledge for accurate blood pressure measurement, highlighting a need for training.

Contribution

The study empirically evaluates nurses' adherence to AHA guidelines for BP measurement in a cardiac center.

Findings

Only 25.3% of nurses demonstrated good skills in BP measurement.

96% of nurses had poor knowledge about BP measurement techniques.

Compliance with AHA guidelines was below 50% for most steps.

Abstract

Accurate measurement is indispensable for effectively managing hypertension (HTN); any error in technique or instrumentation can lead to misdiagnosis and improper management. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the knowledge and skills of blood pressure (BP) measurement among nurses at a tertiary care cardiac center in Karachi.

Nursing staff responsible for BP assessment at various stations were identified, observed, and interviewed to evaluate their skill and knowledge levels regarding BP measurement techniques. Nurses’ skill levels were assessed using a checklist based on the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for BP assessment.

Seventy-five nurses participated in the study, with 49 (65.3%) being male and a mean age of 32.1 ± 6.2 years. Only 25 (33.3%) nurses reported reading the AHA guidelines for BP measurement. None of the nurses demonstrated excellent skills; 19 (25.3%) showed good skills, while 56 (74.7%) showed poor skills in BP measurement. A poor compliance was observed on a total of 14/31 steps with compliance rate of less than 50%. Similarly, none of the nurses exhibited excellent knowledge; only 3 (4%) had good knowledge, while 72 (96%) had poor knowledge about BP measurement. A poor knowledge was observed on a total of 18/36 items with correct response rate of less than 50%.

Nurses working at various stations of a tertiary cardiac center exhibited inadequate skills and knowledge regarding BP measurement. This underscores the necessity for comprehensive training and education to enhance the accurate assessment of BP.

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