Abstract

Ankita Kunwar* and Pratima Koirala

ABSTRACT

Nasogastric Tube Feeding (NGT) refers to the feeding tube that is passed through the nose down through the nasopharynx and esophagus into the stomach which is necessary to maintain adequate nutrition and hydration of a patient. The objective of this study is to find out the nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding nasogastric tube feeding at a Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used with 84 nurses working in the different critical care units of Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital, Bharatpur by using non probability, enumerative sampling technique. Data were collected by using structured self-administered questionnaire and observational checklist. Data were analyzed in descriptive and inferential statistics by using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 20. Result of this study revealed that only one fourth of the respondent had satisfactory level of knowledge and regarding practice more than half of 68.6% of the respondent had unsatisfactory level of practice on NGT. There is significant between the level of knowledge and type of family (p=0.008). The significant influencing variable for the level of practice is age (p=0.010). There is statistically non significant correlation between knowledge score and practice score of the respondents. It is concluded that there is unsatisfactory level of knowledge among one fourth of nurses’ and unsatisfactory level of practice among more than half of the nurses. Therefore, knowledge upgrading programmes should be conducted through in-service education, training and curricular inclusion of NGT to the future nurses.