Evaluation of the Nurses Practice toward Endotracheal Suctioning of Intubed Critically Ill Patients in the I.C.U. at Baghdad Teaching Hospitals

Tracheal suctioning is an essential aspect of effective airway management. It is imperative that nurses are aware of the risks and are able to practice according to current research recommendations. Making accurate and timely judgments based on knowledge is an essential skill in intensive care nursing practice. Objectives To evaluate the nurses practices toward endotracheal suctioning of intubed critically ill patient in the I. C. U. To find out relationship between the nurses practices and demographical characteristics of nurses which as (age, gender, educational level, year of experience, training session). Methods Descriptive design used to evaluation the nurses practice toward endotracheal suctioning for intubated patient at intensive care unit in Baghdad hospital, the study starting from 3/12/2015to 5/2/2016. ResultsThe findings of present study revealed that the majority of participants is female (n= 35, 70.0%), more than half of them is within (18-27) years old age group (n= 26, 52.0%), more than half of them isn't married (n= 27, 54.0%), about third of them is nursing about third of them is nursing institute graduate (n= 17, 34.0%), and the same proportion for those who are Nursing College graduate and above (n= 17, 34.0%), more than half of them reports that the number of nurses in the shift is 11-15 (n= 27, 54.0%), the mean number of training courses related to ICU is 1.74, SD= 1.794, more than third of them reports that they've ( 1-2) training courses (n= 18, 36.0%). severity of complications is at a moderate level for most of participants (n= 30, 60.0%), and there is no association between participants' socio-demographic characteristics and their practices. The study recommends to preparing programmed lectures for the nurses, and need for a broader study and a larger sample, as well as the need for training outside the country the competence of intensive care.