Effectiveness of simulation based educational intervention on pediatric nurses' practice about tracheal intubation in Covid-19 pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Nursing interventions have an explicit impact on the clinical pediatric mechanically ventilated children' outcomes. Despite some existing protocols, guidelines and standards, nurses still use it inexpediently in covid-19 pediatric and neonatal patient groups. Therefore, Simulation-based education has been regarded as a tool to cope with the fast changes in care methods and improving nursing professional standards. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of simulation-based education regarding endotracheal intubation on knowledge and practice of pediatric nurses of covid-19 pediatric intensive care unit. A comparative study of intervention and control groups quasi experimental design was used. Pediatric nurses (120) who were working in pediatric intensive care unit of Tanta Main University Hospital, Tanta city, Egypt and pediatric intensive care unit at Damanhour National medical Institute, Buheira, Egypt, who accepted to participate in the study. The simulation education program included online interactive lectures, and skill training, team-based practice. Two tools were utilized for data collection including knowledge test and observational checklist, which were completed before the program, immediate and 3 months after its completion. After simulation program, there was a significant improvement in the nurses' knowledge and clinical proficiency in regard to end tracheal intubation at (P<0.001) in the intervention group, while the control group didn't indicate any statistical differences across the three study periods regarding their total knowledge of intubation scores (p=0.233) Simulation education effectively improved the pediatric nurses' knowledge and clinical competency of the pediatric intubation. Based on this program the participated nurses will educate and transfer information to their colleagues that might advance clinical nursing education.