Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Program Regarding Knowledge on Arterial Blood Gas Interpretation Among Staff Nurses

Arterial blood gas (ABG) interpretation is important for assessing oxygenation, ventilation, and acid–base balance in critically ill patients. ICU staff nurses require adequate knowledge of ABG interpretation to provide safe and effective nursing care. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a planned teaching program on knowledge regarding arterial blood gas interpretation among staff nurses working in intensive care at Lucknow. A quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pre-test/post-test design without a control group was adopted. Sixty staff nurses were selected by purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using a demographic proforma and a structured knowledge questionnaire consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions. A planned teaching program was given after the pre-test, and the post-test was conducted after one week. The findings showed that the mean pre-test knowledge score was 9.97 (SD = 7.68), which increased to 22.50 (SD = 14.53) in the post-test, with a mean difference of 12.53. The obtained t value was 18.58 with 59 degrees of freedom, which was statistically significant at p< 0.001. In the post-test, 52 (86.67%) staff nurses had good knowledge, 6 (10%) had average knowledge, and 2 (3.33%) had poor knowledge. A significant association was found between pre-test knowledge and age, qualification, professional experience, and source of information, whereas no significant association was found with marital status. The study concluded that the planned teaching program was effective in improving the knowledge of staff nurses regarding ABG interpretation. Regular training and educational programs may help ICU nurses improve their knowledge and provide better care to critically ill patients.