Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of ICU Nurses towards Tracheal Intubation Patients’ Postextubation Dysphagia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim. The aim of this study was to understand the current status of knowledge-attitude-practice of ICU nurses in tertiary care hospitals regarding swallowing disorders after extubation of tracheally intubated patients and to analyse the influencing factors. Design. A cross-sectional study. Background. Most patients admitted to the ICU have an endotracheal tube, which may be the cause of acute and/or chronic problems after extubation. Therefore, training of ICU nurses and early extubation are essential to prevent these problems. Methods. A convenience sample of clinical nurses (n = 627) was selected from Grade A Hospitals in Northwest, North, and Central China as the study population. Survey instruments included the Questionnaire on ICU Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Postextubation Swallowing Disorders in Patients with Tracheal Intubation. Data Sources. Data were sourced from structured questionnaire responses. Results. A total of 647 ICU nurses participated in this survey, with 627 valid questionnaires. The three dimensions of knowledge, attitude, practice, and the total score of the questionnaire on ICU nurses′ knowledge, attitude, and practice of postextubation swallowing disorders in patients with tracheal intubation were (6.46±3.09), (7.53±1.69), (4.89±2.00), and (18.88±5.18), respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the factors affecting the total score of PED among ICU nurses were age, nationality, professional title, job satisfaction, and mode of employment. Gender, age, nationality, and job satisfaction were the factors that influenced the score of knowledge. The influencing factors of attitude score include gender, age, nationality, section, professional title, job satisfaction, and mode of employment. The influencing factors of the score of knowledge include professional title and job satisfaction. Conclusion. The current status of ICU nurses’ knowledge-attitude-practice regarding postextubation dysphagia in tracheally intubated patients is generally at a moderate to low level, and the level of knowledge-attitude-practice needs to be further improved. Implications for Nursing Management. The results of the study showed that the knowledge, attitude, and practice of ICU nurses towards tracheal intubation patients’ postextubation dysphagia were in the lower middle level. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the knowledge, attitude, and practice of ICU nurses towards tracheal intubation patients’ postextubation dysphagia. This may include, but is not limited to, the development of tools for assessing PED, systematic and professional training, and the development of multidisciplinary collaborative models.