Nurses’ knowledge of paediatric gastrostomy care

Introduction:
Gastrostomy enables long-term enteral nutrition for patients who are unable to consume food orally due to various medical conditions. Currently, children with gastrostomy are found in all types of hospital departments, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring that nursing staff possess adequate and up-to-date knowledge regarding its care and management. Proper gastrostomy care is essential to prevent complications, ensure patient comfort, and support effective nutritional therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the level of nurses’ knowledge concerning various aspects of gastrostomy care.

Material and methods:
The study was conducted in July and August 2023 at the Children’s Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Warsaw. Researchers utilized a structured questionnaire consisting of 23 questions, including 18 focused specifically on practical knowledge related to gastrostomy care.

Results:
A total of 181 nursing staff members participated in the study. The majority of participants were female (98%), over the age of 35 (61%), and held higher education degrees (73.5%). Among all respondents, only 42.4% demonstrated a good level of knowledge. No statistically significant correlation was found between the knowledge level and the type of department (surgical vs. non-surgical; p = 0.567) or level of education (p = 0.315). However, years of professional experience had a statistically significant influence on the knowledge level (p = 0.043). The highest percentage of correct answers (90%) was given to the question, “What can be administered through a gastrostomy?”, while the lowest percentage (34.3%) concerned the timing of gastrostomy plate movement.

Conclusions:
The findings clearly highlight the need for ongoing training and educational programs to enhance nursing competencies in gastrostomy care and improve patient safety.