Child Health Nurs Res.  2019 Jul;25(3):324-332. 10.4094/chnr.2019.25.3.324.

Effects of an Algorithm-based Education Program on Nursing Care for Children with Epilepsy by Hospital Nurses

• Lee JH
• Ju HO
• Lee YJ

• KMID: 2454832
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2019.25.3.324

Abstract

PURPOSE
Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder in childhood. Hospital nurses, who are the first to recognize seizures in epilepsy patients in the ward environment, possess expertise related to epilepsy and play a central role in epilepsy management. The purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm-based education program and to improve nurses' knowledge and self-efficacy related to providing nursing care to children with epilepsy.
METHODS
The education program consisted of lectures on the definition, cause, classification, diagnosis, treatment, and nursing of epilepsy based on a booklet, as well as practice using an algorithm for nursing interventions when a child experiences a seizure. Twenty-seven nurses working at pediatric neurological wards and a pediatric emergency room participated in the education program. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the paired t-test.
RESULTS
Nurses' knowledge and self-efficacy showed a statistically significant improvement after participation in the education program on nursing care for children with epilepsy.
CONCLUSION
The application of this education program for hospital setting is expected to improve nurses' capability to care for children with epilepsy, thereby contributing to a higher quality of nursing.

Keyword

Epilepsy; Seizure; Nursing education; Nurses

MeSH Terms

Child*
Classification
Diagnosis
Education*
Education, Nursing
Emergency Service, Hospital
Epilepsy*
Humans
Lectures
Nervous System Diseases
Nursing Care*
Nursing*
Pamphlets
Seizures