Effect of Evidence Based Guidelines on Nurses’ Performance and attitude Regarding Care of Children Undergoing Plasmapheresis

Background: Plasmapheresis is a procedure performed for different life-threatening and debilitating diseases as a principle mode of treatment or as an adjunct with other therapies. It is a process involving extracorporeal removal of plasma from other components of blood, discarding and replacing plasma with physiological fluids. The study aim was to evaluate the effect of evidence based guidelines on nurses’ performance regarding care of children undergoing plasmaphresis Study design: A quasi-experimental approach with pre and post intervention. Sample: A convenient sample of all available nurses (n=64) and purposive sample of children undergoing plasmaphresis (n=64) at Pediatric Hemodialysis Department of Benha University Hospital. Tools of data collection: Tool (I): Nurses’ knowledge regarding plasmaphresis at Pediatric Hemodialysis Unit . A structured Interviewing Questionnaire Sheet; It included Part 1: Personal characteristics of the studied nurses, Part 2: Personal characteristics of the studied children, Part 3: Nurses’ knowledge regarding evidence based practice and nurses’ knowledge regarding plasmaphresis . Tool II: Plasmaphresis observational checklists: It was used to assess nurses’ practice regarding care of children undergoing plasmaphresis used to assess nurses’ practice regarding care of children undergoing plasmaphresis. Tool III: Nurses' attitude regarding care of children undergoing plasmaphresis. Result: Shows that, there are a highly statistical significance differences in all items of nurses’ knowledge and practice related to plasmaphresis procedure and management of plasmaphresis complications in post implementation of evidence-based guidelines as compared to pre-implementation (P ≤ 0.00). . Conclusion: implementation of evidence based had strengthened nurses' performance and attitude regarding care of children undergoing plasmaphresis. Recommendations: Continuing educational programs must be conducted to improve nurses’ knowledge, practice and attitude regarding care of children undergoing plasmaphresis