Journal Article

An exploration of healthcare professionals’ knowledge and perceived barriers about acute oxygen therapy: a survey in a tertiary care hospital, Sudan

Yahya, Ayman, Hamdnaalla, Mohaned Altijani Abdalgadir, Rafat, Fakher Aldeen, AlKheder, Mohammed Alsiddig, Alrawa, Salama Salah, Hamed, Faris Jamalaldeen Mohammed, Awad, Mustafa Sabir Abakar, Elhado, Mohamed Almubarak Omer, Lawis, Munir Rafat Munir, Muhammed, Abubakr, Awad, Ibrahim, Mohamednour, Mohammed Fadlelmola Abdalla, Elfatih, Abdelrahman

2024

Overview

Background Oxygen is an essential drug that is commonly used in clinical practice, and its misadministration can result in severe consequences. This research sought to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of physicians and nurses regarding acute oxygen therapy and delivery barriers. Methodology This was a cross-sectional hospital-based survey. The study was conducted at Managil Teaching Hospital, Sudan. The study included 159 physicians and 25 nurses who were working at the hospital during the study period. The previously validated acute oxygen therapy questionnaire (AOTQ) was used to assess knowledge and barriers regarding acute oxygen therapy (AOT). The collected data were then analysed via R software. Results A total of 184 medical professionals were included in the survey. The mean age of the study participants was 26 years, and 66.2% of all participants were male. A total of 74% of the physicians were junior physicians. Among the physicians, 15 (9.4%) had good knowledge (score > 80%), 75 (47.2%) had moderate knowledge (score > 60% & less than 80%), and 69 (43.4%) had poor knowledge about acute oxygen therapy (score < 60%). Among the nurses, 2 (8%) had good knowledge, 10 (40%) had moderate knowledge, and 13 (52%) had poor knowledge. Most of them were from medical departments, with 33% from physicians and 40% from nurses. Approximately 64% of the physicians and 68% of the nurses stated that oxygen is not a medication rather than a supportive therapy, and only 13% of the physicians and 28% of the nurses knew that oxygen should be given only after the doctor’s prescription. The availability of oxygen was reported as a barrier by 85% of the physicians and 72% of the nurses. Conclusion A considerable percentage of physicians and nurses exhibited a limited understanding of acute oxygen therapy, demonstrated infrequent adherence to AOT guidelines due to a lack of awareness, and reported germane barriers to delivery that necessitate administrative and educational interventions.

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Attitude of Health Personnel / Barriers / Beliefs, opinions and attitudes / Care and treatment / Child Health / Clinical Competence / Cross-Sectional Studies / Cutting Scores / Data analysis / Delivery Systems / Diagnosis / Dosage and administration / Education / Emergency medical care / Error Correction / Evaluation / Evidence / Female / Guidelines / Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Hospitals / Humans / Hypoxia / Information sources / Knowledge / Knowledge Level / Male / Medical Education / Medical personnel / Medical Staff, Hospital / Nurses / Nursing Staff, Hospital - psychology / Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Oxygen therapy / Paramedics / Physicians / Predictor Variables / Professionals / Public opinion / Questionnaires / Sample size / Sampling / Sampling techniques / Statistical Analysis / Statistical Data / Statistical Significance / Sudan / Surveys and Questionnaires / Teaching hospitals / Tertiary Care Centers / Theory of Medicine/Bioethics