Knowledge and practices of nurses working in urology clinics on fluid-electrolyte monitoring and management

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the knowledge and practices of nurses working in urology clinics on fluid–electrolyte monitoring and management. The study sample for this descriptive cross-sectional research comprised 79 nurses employed in clinics providing care to urology patients from June 2023 to June 2024. These nurses had internet access and consented to participate in the study on a voluntary basis. The data were obtained through the ‘Google Form’, which uses a descriptive characteristics form, a fluid–electrolyte monitoring and management knowledge form, and a practice form for fluid–electrolyte monitoring and management. The mean score of the nurses on the fluid–electrolyte monitoring and management knowledge form was 7.48 ± 1.74. The most common practice related to fluid–electrolyte monitoring and management was “I monitor and record additional fluid losses related to vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and drains”. When the mean scores of the fluid–electrolyte monitoring and management knowledge form were compared according to the individual characteristics of the nurses, no statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the knowledge form according to the characteristics of the nurses (p > 0.05). In this study, the mean knowledge scores of the nurses were above average. When the practices of the nurses for the prevention of fluid–electrolyte imbalances were examined, most of them stated that they monitored additional fluid losses related to vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and drains. The characteristics of the nurses (clinical experience, age, years of working in the profession and educational status) did not affect their knowledge scores.