A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INFORMATION, EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING TRIAGE PROCESS AMONG B.SC. NURSING STUDENTS AT MEENAKSHI COLLEGE OF NURSING IN CHENNAI

Abstract

Background: The Nursing has been evolving for the last 150 years and started as a Nightingale’s in the midst of 1850s. It is still a fearful fact that floats in the hearts when there is an emergency situation. The knowledge and practice on triage will help them to handle the emergency situation at ease. The focus of this study sought to evaluate the understanding of knowledge and practice about the process of triage by the third-year B.Sc. nursing students at Meenakshi College of Nursing and the result of receiving information, education, and communication (IEC).

Methodology: The proficiency in the triage process was assessed among the students by preforming a pre-test and post-test approach. This study also assessed the association between demographic variables with the level of understanding on the triage knowledge and practice.

Results: Findings revealed that the triage intervention significantly with both knowledge and practice, indicating an overall score of 11.66±1.45 for knowledge with a (p < 0.000) and practice (3.14±0.88, p < 0.000). However, no significant association was observed between demographic variables of the students’ and the level of knowledge and practice.

Conclusion: The study concludes that IEC is an effective, simple, and cost-efficient intervention that enhances the understanding of triage process among nursing students, emphases the need for a frequent practical training for the nursing students to ensure effective prioritization of patient and to deliver timely care.