الفهرس 
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Abstract
Hydrocephalus is a common neurological disorder, heterogeneous in nature and complex in pathogenesis seen among infants. As a consequence, hydrocephalus has multiple competing definitions and classifications that make it a difficult condition to approach as nurse. Nursing care provided for infant with hydrocephalus and VP shunt was challenging for effective shunt functioning and complication reduction. Pediatric nurses play a necessary role in providing preoperative care and preparation, post-operative care, care of infants with hydrocephalus and provide discharge teaching to provide care for parents at home (Alomar et al., 2023).
Aim of study: -
This study aimed to assess nurses’ performance regarding care of infants suffering from hydrocephalus.
Research questions:
1) What is the level of nurses’ knowledge about hydrocephalus?
2) What is the level of nurses’ practice regarding care of infants suffering from hydrocephalus?
Research design:
A descriptive design was utilized in this study.
Research settings: -
This study was conducted in neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric intensive care unit affiliated to Bani Suif University Hospital and pediatric hospital which affiliated to Ain Shams University Hospitals.
Subjects and sample: -
A Convenience sample of all available nurses (150 nurse), were working in the previously mentioned settings regardless their age, years of experience and educational level.
Tools of data collection: -
Data were collected using the following two tools:
Tool I:- Pre-designed questionnaire sheet: It was designed and written in an Arabic language by the researcher after reviewing the related literature and consists of two parts as the following:-
Part I: characteristics of the studied nurses which included age, gender, educational level, job, work place years of experiences and training courses.
Part II: Nurses knowledge regarding hydrocephalus such as definition, etiology, types, clinical manifestations, management, complications, risk factors, diagnosis, laboratory investigations and pre and post-operative nursing care of infants with hydrocephalus.
Tool II:- Observational checklists: for assess nurses practices regarding caring of infants with hydrocephalus. It was included the following: -
• Preoperative nursing care such as: physical assessment including assessment of head circumference, abdominal circumference, length and weight, feeding and care of infant with fever and convulsion.
• Post-operative nursing care such as: hand washing, immediate postoperative care, assessment of vital signs, feeding, wound care, medication administration and measures to reduce fever.
The main findings of this study revealed that:
• The present study reveals that, the Mean±SD age of the studied nurses was (26.98±4.51 year), 38.7% of them had diploma of technical institutes of nursing, 40% of them had experiences from one year to less than 3 years and 51.3% of them were training courses that talk about hydrocephalus for infants.
• In relation total nurses’ knowledge about infants suffering from hydrocephalus, the current study reports that, 48% of the studied nurses had poor knowledge level, 46.7% of them had average knowledge level and 5.3% of them had good knowledge level about infants suffering from hydrocephalus.
• Regarding total nurses’ practices regarding care of infants suffering from hydrocephalus, the present study represents that, 77.3% of the studied nurses had incompetent practice level. While, 22.7% of them had competent total practice level regarding care of infants suffering from hydrocephalus.
• Regarding to relation between characteristics of studied nurses and their total level of knowledge, the current study reports that, there was highly statistically significant difference between the studied nurses’ total knowledge and their age. While, there was no statistically significant difference between the studied nurses’ total knowledge and their educational qualification, job, workplace, years of experiences and attending training courses about hydrocephalus for infants.
• Concerning to relation between characteristics of studied nurses and their total level of practice, the present study reveals that, there was highly statistically significant difference between the studied nurses’ total practice and their age. While, there was no statistically significant difference between the studied nurses’ total level of practice and their educational qualification, job, workplace, years of experiences and attending training courses about hydrocephalus for infants.
• Regarding correlation between total level of knowledge and total level of practice, the current study reveals that, there was positive correlation between total knowledge and total practice level of the studied nurses.
Conclusion:
Based on findings of the present study, it can be concluded that:
The present study showed that, less than half of the studied nurses had poor knowledge level, less than half of them had average knowledge level and minority of them had good knowledge level about infants suffering from hydrocephalus. Also, more than three quarters of the studied nurses had incompetent practice level. While, less than one quarter of them had competent total practice level regarding care of infants suffering from hydrocephalus. Additionally, there was positive correlation between total knowledge and total practice level of the studied nurses.
The important recommendations inferred from the study results were:
• Establish continuous training courses to improve nurses’ knowledge and practices regarding caring for infants with hydrocephalus.
• Developing a simplified illustrated and comprehensive booklet for improving nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding caring of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt.
• Development of an educational guideline based on evidence-based nursing practices to promote excellence of nursing care and provides high-quality infants care regarding infants with hydrocephalus and VP shunt.