Abstract

Objective(s): A descriptive study aimed to determine nurses' knowledge about chest physiotherapy techniques for patients with Corona virus disease and observe the relationship between nurses' knowledge and their socio-demographic characteristics.

Methodology: The study was directed in isolation units of Al- Hussein teaching hospitals in Thi-Qar, Iraq for the period from June 1st,  2022 to November 27th, 2022. Non- probability (purposively) sample comprised 41 nurses. A questionnaire was used for data collection and it consists of two parts: the first part comprises socio demographic features, the second part includes self- administered questionnaire sheet was related to nurses' knowledge about chest physiotherapy techniques. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire was firm through a pilot study and a panel of (13) experts. The data was analyzed through the use of descriptive and inferential statistical analysis methods. Data were analyzed by using (SPSS) package version 25. Descriptive data through used frequency, percentage, mean of score, standard deviation, also ANOVA and T. test, used  to define the relationship between Socio-demographic features and nurses' knowledge.

Results: The results of the study demonstrate that the majority of the study sample are within the age group of (20-30) years, females, married, have Bachelor in nursing, working for 6-12 hours, with 1 to 5 years of experience, and 56.1% (23/41) who did not participate in training sessions related to COVID-19. Also nurses' knowledge were inadequate, where the assessment shows a clear fail in all answers for 20 questions regarding chest physiotherapy techniques for patient with COVID-19.

Conclusions: The study concluded that the nurses' knowledge toward chest physiotherapy techniques for patients with COVID-19 is inadequate during assessment, also there is not statistical relationship between the nurses' knowledge and socio-demographic characteristics.

Recommendations:  The study recommend for the conduction of health intervention program to raise nurses' knowledge and skills about chest physiotherapy techniques for patients with COVID-19.