Status of knowledge, attitude and practice of poststroke dysphagia in neurological nurses in China: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: To explore the status and related factors of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of poststroke dysphagia among neurological nurses in China. METHODS: Neurological nurses from 40 tertiary hospitals in Southwest China were invited to complete a survey on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the nursing of poststroke dysphagia. We used a questionnaire to collect the participants’ information including the basic characteristics and the KAP Questionnaire on poststroke dysphagia in the neurological ward. A sample of 707 participants completed the survey. RESULTS: The knowledge, attitude, and practice scores for the nursing of poststroke dysphagia were 12.00±4.09, 71.99±11.00, 52.22±9.08, respectively. The total score of knowledge towards the nursing of poststroke dysphagia was significantly different among nurses with different ages, working time of nursing, working time of nursing in neurology, the highest level of education, professional title, position, the method of training, the number of dysphagia-related nursing trainings, the total length of dysphagia nursing training, and the nursing basis of patients with dysphagia. The total score of attitudes towards the nursing of poststroke dysphagia was significantly different among nurses with the way they were trained, and the nursing basis for patients with dysphagia. The total score of practice towards poststroke dysphagia was significantly different among nurses with the number of dysphagia-related nursing trainings, the total length of dysphagia nursing training, the training method, and the basis of nursing patients with dysphagia. CONCLUSION: Neurological nurses’ knowledge score in poststroke dysphagia is relatively low, and the knowledge level needs improvement. The attitude and practice score of neurological nurses in dysphagia after stroke was much better than the knowledge score. Managers and nursing researchers should develop and offer effective training for neurological nurses to improve their knowledge, attitude and practice towards poststroke dysphagia, and then improve patients’ health outcomes.