Effect of Nursing Guidelines for Nurses on Occurrence of Selected Post Therapeutic Cardiac Catheterization Complications Among Children

Abstract Background: Pediatric cardiac catheterization has shifted from a diagnostic tool to a therapeutic one and now more applicable for therapeutic reasons.
Aim of Study: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of guidelines for nurses on occurrence of selected post therapeutic cardiac catheterization complications among children.
Subjects and Methods: Quasi-experimental design (Pre-Posttest) was used to achieve the aim of the current study. A convenient sample of 30 nurses and 60 children having cardiac defects undergoing cardiac catheterization were participated in the current study; children were divided into two equal groups: 30 as a control group and 30 as a study group and nurses were the same for the study and control group of children. The current study was conducted at post cardiac catheterization Intensive Care Unit at Cairo University Spe-cialized Pediatric Hospital (CUSPH). The required data was collected through: 1- Structured interview (questionnaire); 2- Nurses's knowledge and observed practice assessment sheet (pre-posttest) and 3- Post cardiac catheterization assessment sheet. Results: The study's results revealed that, children in the study group exposed to less post cardiac catheterization complications such as weak or absent pulse, hypotension and hypothermia; than children in the control group. There was statistically significance difference between the total mean score of nurses' knowledge before and after implementation of the nursing guidelines.
Conclusion: The study concluded that nurses who received nursing guidelines sessions had improved outcomes in relation to less complications on children they were caring. Recom-mendation: It was recommended that provision of nursing guidelines of children undergoing cardiac catheterization is mandatory for fewer occurrences of complications. Simple Arabic illustrated booklet about cardiac catheterization care for children undergoing CC should be available in every post CC unit.