Abstract
ABSTRACT Introduction: Preoperative Education prepares patients for the forthcoming surgical intervention, alleviates uneasiness, enhances surgical team collaboration, and reduces the likelihood of complications, thus improving health outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the level of knowledge and practice of surgery nurses on preoperative teaching as a basis for hospital training. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey research design. A convenience sample of 42 from a target population of 45 morning shift surgery nurses from different units of the selected hospital were the participants of the study. An adapted preoperative questionnaire with 16 items of knowledge and 14 items of practice was translated to Arabic, validated, and approved as reliable for its operational for data gathering. Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to analyze the data of the study. Results: Findings of the study revealed that the highest number of participants were females, N=24 (57.14%), mostly N=19 (45.23%) were within 26-35 years old, N=27 (64.28%) were Nursing Diploma graduates, with N=14 (33.33%) with 11-15 years of work experience, and N=35 (83.33%) from General surgery department. In terms of their level of knowledge, with the participants’ mean average of 29 or 78.58%, their knowledge level is verbally interpreted as moderate, just the same as their level of practice. With a mean average of 35.29 or 81.03%, the verbal interpretation is moderate. The bivariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between knowledge and practice, with a P-value of 0.004. Conclusions: There were more female than male nurses in the surgery units. Mostly were 26-35 years old, more than half were Diploma Nursing graduates, less than half had 11-15 years of experience, and more than three-fourths were from the general surgery department. The knowledge and practice level of the participants is verbally interpreted as moderate, and there is a significant correlation between the knowledge and practice of preoperative teaching of the participants. Recommendations: It is recommended that the knowledge and practice level of surgery nurses on preoperative teaching be improved to provide quality patient care and prevent complications. Emphasis on the importance of preoperative teaching to reduce patients’ anxiety before surgery, as well as the prevention, familiarization, and management of postsurgical conditions, is imperative. Lastly, in terms of practice, surgery nurses should conduct health teaching about anesthesia, including family members, use effective teaching materials, and let the patient return to demonstrate deep breathing and coughing techniques