Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: October | Volume: 6 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 162-173
Factors Associated with Nursing Students’ Level of Knowledge Regarding Abdominal Palpation at Gangtok, Sikkim
Barkha Devi1, Bidita Khandelwal2, Mridula Das3
1Assistant Professor, Sikkim Manipal College of Nursing, Sikkim Manipal University, India.
2Professor & Head, Department of Medicine, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, India.
3Principal, Sikkim Manipal College of Nursing, Sikkim Manipal University, India.
Corresponding Author: Barkha Devi
ABSTRACT
Background: Abdominal palpation is one of the components of the antenatal examination which is one of the important parts of antenatal care and incorporated in the syllabus of the nursing students and considered as an important procedure to be learned, in the practical life to prevent the complications and save the life of the mother and the infant.
Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the level of nursing student’s knowledge regarding abdominal palpation and determine if level of students knowledge regarding abdominal palpation are associated with their socio- demographic and educational characteristics in terms of different nursing programme.
Materials and Methods: Quantitative descriptive study was done among 92 nursing students regarding abdominal palpation who were currently enrolled in 1st year PBBSc Nursing, 3rd year and 4th year B Sc. nursing and 3rd year GNM programme and available at the time of data collection and had attended regular classes on abdominal palpation by using purposive sampling technique from selected nursing institution at Sikkim. Data were collected by structured knowledge questionnaire through self report technique for which validity and reliability was ensured.
Results: Knowledge regarding the abdominal palpation was found to be inadequate among the 78% respondents. It was also seen that only 22 % of the respondents out of 92 nursing students had adequate knowledge. There is statistically significant association found between knowledge regarding abdominal palpation and with nursing programme currently undergoing (9.70*, P<0.05), students exposed to mass media related to obstetrical palpation (6.39*P<0.05) and number of times performed obstetrical palpation (9.97*, P<0.05).
Conclusion: The knowledge score of the nursing students was found to be inadequate. New teaching strategy and instructional method has to be combined with traditional teaching method to update the knowledge of nursing students regarding abdominal palpation.
Key words: Knowledge, abdominal palpation, inspection of abdomen, components of abdominal examination, nursing students.