INTRODUCTION:

Emergency codes were developed to alert the health care personnel in a hospital to critical situation, they are often developed independently by each hospital leading to variability. This could be a source of confusion to health care personnel, who move frequently between hospitals and may work at multiple hospitals. Emergency medicine and well organized emergency departments (EDs) are an essential component of any developed health care system. [1] Hospital emergency codes frequently comprise of colors to prevent confusion and enhance prompt response to emergency situations.

A quantitative study was conducted in Korea to identify perceptions of emergency color codes among hospital employees in Korea. Participants were selected via convenience sampling from four general hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi, 295 questionnaires were distributed and 266 of them were analyzed. The participants showed the highest consistency in the association between emergency images related to colors and emergency code color images associated with emergency situations in the following cases: “red for fire,” “blue for adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),” “yellow for pediatric CPR,” “orange for external disaster,” “pink for infant/child abduction,” “white for deactivation,” and “black for violent/combative person.” Meanwhile, the most confusing colors were purple, gray, and silver. Hospital employees tended to select colors that matched the emergency codes used in their respective hospitals. The four colors of “red,” “blue,” “pink,” and “white,” were strongly associated with “fire,” “cardiac arrest,” “infant/child abduction,” and “emergency deactivation,” respectively. The use of four colors for hospital emergency code standardization domestically in Korea is recommended. [2] A qualitative study was conducted in Sweden to describe how nurses implement triage when patients arrive at the emergency department of a county hospital, situated in a rural area of Sweden, as well as to highlight the factors considered when prioritizing, in connection with nurses’ decision‐making. The method used was observations of 19 nurses, with minimal disturbance in their triage work, followed by a short tape‐recorded interview, during which the nurses were asked to, reflect upon their decision of priorities. Qualitative content analysis of data has been used. The results were divided into two areas, internal factors and external factors. The internal factors reflect the nurse skills and personal capacity. The external factors reflect work environment, including high workload and practical arrangements, and should always be perceived and taken into consideration. Using these factors as a basis, the patients’ clinical condition, clinical history, various examinations and tests form an assessment, which subsequently results in a prioritization. [3] It is essential that all nurses should be knowing the emergency codes in order to improve the quality of life among the Hospitalized patients.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

A study to assess the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding emergency code among nursing students in a selected nursing college at kollam district.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

1. To assess the knowledge regarding emergency codes among nursing students

2. To evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding emergency codes

3. To find out the association between the pretest knowledge scores with selected demographic variables.

HYPOTHESIS:

Hypothesis will be tested at 0.05 level of significance.

H1-There will be significant difference in the pretest and post test knowledge scores regarding emergency code

H2-There will be significant association between knowledge scores of nursing students with selected demographic variables

METHODOLOGY:

Research approach

Quantitative research

Research design

Pre experimental one group pretest post test design

Research setting

Holy Cross College of Nursing

Sample

Second year Bsc nursing students

Sample size

48 Second year Bsc nursing Students

Sampling technique

Convenience sampling

Data collection instruments

1. Tool 1

It consist of demographic variables include age, gender, living area, medium and instruction of school education, type of schooling

2. Tool 2

Consists of structured questionnaire to assess knowledge regarding emergency codes.

Methods of data collection:

1. Written permission was obtained from the Principal of Holy Cross College of Nursing, Kottiyam

2. The sample was selected based on the sampling criteria and using convenience sampling.

3. 48 II year BSc Nursing students were selected and pretest knowledge of emergency codes assessed by structured knowledge questionnaire

4. Structured teaching programme on emergency codes

5. Knowledge on emergency codes by structured knowledge questionnaire

6. Knowledge was assessed and tabulated by descriptive and inferential statistics.

Data analysis:

1. Descriptive: frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation

2. Inferential: paired ‘t’ test and chi square test were used for the analysis and interpretation of data

Figure 1: Percentage distribution pretest and posttest level of knowledge

Table 1: Mean, Standard Deviation and t- Test Score and p Value of Knowledge Score (n=48)

Knowledge	Mean	Standard deviation (SD)	T test	P value
Pre-test Knowledge	8.40	2.632
			15.339	P<0.001
Post test Knowledge	19	2.770

RESULTS:

Data from 48 II year BSc Nursing students is tabulated, analyzed and interpreted considering objectives and hypothesis of the study, using descriptive and inferential statistics. Pre test knowledge scores estimated that 97.6% having poor knowledge, 2.4% having good knowledge and Post test knowledge scores estimated that the subjects had excellent knowledge (52.1%), good (41.7%) and poor (6.2%) knowledge regarding emergency codes. Hence the intervention is found to be effective.

DISCUSSION:

Among 48 participants majority of subjects had good knowledge 41.7%), excellent (52.1%) and poor (6.2%) knowledge regarding emergency codes. It was observed that the mean of post test knowledge were higher than the mean of pre test knowledge scores. Researcher observed that there is a statistical difference in the average knowledge regarding emergency codes after the intervention (p<0.05). Hence the intervention is found to be effective.

NURSING IMPLICATIONS:

Nursing education:

Nursing students and staffs can be trained to give structured teaching programme regarding emergency codes to deal with emergency situations in the hospital as a part of their clinical requirement.

Nursing administration:

· Nurse administrators can conduct in-service education programme to make nurses more aware of knowledge regarding emergency codes.

· They can also adopt the structured teaching programme for making teaching protocols for nursing students

Nursing research:

Nurse researchers can conduct more studies based on improving their knowledge regarding emergency codes.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

The study is limited to small group of nursing students of Holy Cross college of nursing

SUGGESTIONS:

1. Similar study can be conducted with large sample size.

2. A descriptive study can be done to determine the knowledge of emergency codes.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. In the view of the findings and limitations of the present study, following recommendations are offered for further research

2. A follow up of study can be taken to determine the long term effectiveness of structured teaching programme.

CONCLUSION:

Emergency codes are used to worldwide to alerts staffs to various emergencies. They are intended to convey essential information quickly and with minimal understanding to staff while preventing stress and panic among visitors of hospital. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of emergency codes among II year BSc Nursing students. The researcher concludes that structured teaching programme is effective in enhancing the knowledge of II year BSc Nursing students regarding emergency codes.

REFERENCES:

1. Nicks B, Spasov M, Watkins C. The state and future of emergency medicine in Macedonia. World journal of emergency medicine. 2016;7(4):245.

2. Lee HJ, Lee O. Perceptions of hospital emergency color codes among hospital employees in Korea. International emergency nursing. 2018 Sep 1; 40:6-11.

3. Andersson AK, Omberg M, Svedlund M. Triage in the emergency department–a qualitative study of the factors which nurses consider when making decisions. Nursing in critical care. 2006 May;11(3):136-45.

Received on 26.12.2019 Modified on 08.01.2020

Int. J. of Advances in Nur. Management. 2020; 8(1):72-74.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2652.2020.00018.9