Conscious sedation is gradually gaining acceptance as a supplementary treatment in the ICUs of many Taiwanese hospitals. This study investigates the relationship between knowledge of conscious sedation and the interventions of nurses in the ICUs. A cross-section research design was adopted and subjects were recruited from medical centers, and regional and local hospitals in southern Taiwan. The study period lasted from November 2000 to February 200 I, and a total of 513 nurses were enrolled. The questionnaire comprised the following: knowledge of conscious sedation, knowledge of sedative drugs, and nursing interventions. The major statistical procedures applied in data management were: descriptive statistics. Chi-square, t test, One-way ANOVA and Pearson's Correlation. The survey results were as follows: The Score of the nurses in their knowledge of conscious sedation was 77.8 on a scale If 100, while for knowledge of sedative drugs the average score was 79.9. The significant influences on nurses' knowledge of conscious sedation were: age, education level, years working in ICUs, years working as a nurse, and the type of hospital they worked in. The rate of providing appropriate nursing care to patients on conscious sedation exceeded 90%, and of the performance of appropriate nursing interventions increased with the provision of appropriate nursing care to patients. The knowledge sources used by nurses included symposiums, hospital education and private study. Results in this study suggest that, to increase nurses' knowledge of conscious sedation and their performance of nursing interventions based on this concept, the education level of nurses in ICUs should be promoted and hospital education enhanced. The information provided by this study can serve as a good reference in planning on the job education for ICU nurses whose units use conscious sedation.
Conscious sedation is gradually gaining acceptance as a supplementary treatment in the ICUs of many Taiwanese hospitals. This study investigates the relationship between knowledge of conscious sedation and the interventions of nurses in the ICUs. A cross-section research design was adopted and subjects were recruited from medical centers, and regional and local hospitals in southern Taiwan. The study period lasted from November 2000 to February 200 I, and a total of 513 nurses were enrolled. The questionnaire comprised the following: knowledge of conscious sedation, knowledge of sedative drugs, and nursing interventions. The major statistical procedures applied in data management were: descriptive statistics. Chi-square, t test, One-way ANOVA and Pearson's Correlation. The survey results were as follows: The Score of the nurses in their knowledge of conscious sedation was 77.8 on a scale If 100, while for knowledge of sedative drugs the average score was 79.9. The significant influences on nurses' knowledge of conscious sedation were: age, education level, years working in ICUs, years working as a nurse, and the type of hospital they worked in. The rate of providing appropriate nursing care to patients on conscious sedation exceeded 90%, and of the performance of appropriate nursing interventions increased with the provision of appropriate nursing care to patients. The knowledge sources used by nurses included symposiums, hospital education and private study. Results in this study suggest that, to increase nurses' knowledge of conscious sedation and their performance of nursing interventions based on this concept, the education level of nurses in ICUs should be promoted and hospital education enhanced. The information provided by this study can serve as a good reference in planning on the job education for ICU nurses whose units use conscious sedation.