Knowledge, Practices and Attitude of Nurses on Dysphagia Management at the Ear, Nose and Throat/ Maxillofacial Units of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Abstract

Background: Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulty. Swallowing is an essential human activity that transfers food or drink from the mouth to the stomach. The process involves both voluntary and involuntary actions for it to be carried out successfully. Prevalence rates of 2.3% to 16% have been recorded globally. Dysphagia is associated with complications like malnutrition, weight loss and aspiration. Due to the role nurses play in patient management, they are likely going to be those who will detect that a patient has dysphagia for onward referral for management. However, they need to possess adequate knowledge on the signs, symptoms, complications and management of dysphagia to be able to perform this function. The study is aimed at assessing the knowledge level and attitudes of nurses at the E.N.T. and Maxillofacial units of KBTH toward dysphagia. Methods: Seventy nurses were conveniently sampled from the two units. A self-administered questionnaire with closed-ended questions was used to collect data which was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Overall, the survey showed that the nurses had a high knowledge of the signs and symptoms of dysphagia (77%) a moderate knowledge of complications and management of dysphagia (68%). This study did not reveal any association between their knowledge level and qualification, years of work experience and care of patients with dysphagia. Conclusion: It is clear that the dysphagia education provided as part of the nursing curriculum is insufficient, and these nurses need more specialised instruction in this area. The educational background, number of years of employment, and prior experience caring for patients with dysphagia did not have any bearing on the degree of knowledge held by the nurses at these units.