Authors
- Laura Volarić, Faculty of Health Studies, Department of Clinical Medical Sciences I, Rijeka, Croatia
- Bojan Miletić, Faculty of Health Studies, Department of Clinical Medical Sciences I, Rijeka, Croatia
- Agneza Aleksijević, Faculty of Health Studies, Department of Nursing, Rijeka, Croatia
- Marija Spevan, Faculty of Health Studies, Department of Nursing, Rijeka, Croatia
Article type:
Original Scientific Paper
Abstract:
Introduction
Cardiac electrostimulation is one of the most modern methods of treating cardiac arrhythmias, and the nurse/technician as part of the medical team has a significant role in medical care and improving the patient’s quality of life. Therefore, lifelong learning and continuous improvement of the knowledge and skills of nurses/technicians during and after regular education is crucial in providing quality medical care. Objective of this research is to compare the knowledge of regular first-year nursing students about permanent heart pacemakers and the care and quality of life of patients with an implanted permanent electrostimulator with the knowledge of second- and third-year students.
Materials and methods
The research was conducted at the Faculty of Health Studies in Rijeka by surveying students. The research sample was – students of both sexes, first, second and third year of full-time undergraduate studies in Nursing. A total of 90 respondents participated in the research. The results of the completed survey in the part of testing knowledge about electrostimulator and testing knowledge about the quality of life of patients with a permanent cardiac pacemaker were classified into 3 groups: insufficient knowledge (≤ 9 points), intermediate knowledge (10 to 16 points) and considerable knowledge (> 16 points). The collected data were statistically processed using the computer program Microsoft Excel and Statistica 13.3 (TIBCO Software Inc.).
Results
In the assessment of students’ knowledge about permanent cardiac electrostimulation, students of all years achieved average knowledge, without statistically significant deviations in the points achieved (p=0.41). In the part of the questionnaire that assesses students’ knowledge about the quality of life of patients with an implanted permanent pacemaker, the students of all three years also achieved equal results, varying between 15 and 17 points (p=0.11).
Conclusion
Students of all three years of study have intermediate knowledge about permanent cardiac electrostimulator, which is a good basis and motivation for further improving the quality of teaching, but also improving the knowledge in later specialist training during the working life, in order to continuously improve the care of patients with permanent cardiac pacemaker and their quality of life.
Keywords:
heart rate, pacemaker, quality of life