BRIDGING THE GAP: ENHANCING NURSING STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE IN OXYGEN ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

Background: Oxygen administration is an essential nursing intervention for patients with hypoxemia, respiratory distress, cardiac conditions, trauma, postoperative complications and emergencies. Safe oxygen therapy requires both theoretical knowledge and correct psychomotor performance. Skill-station teaching provides demonstration, supervised practice, return demonstration and feedback in a controlled setting. Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of nursing students regarding oxygen administration and to determine the effectiveness of skill-station training using pre-test and post-test assessments. Methods: A quantitative evaluative approach with a one-group pre-test–post-test design was used among 100 nursing students from selected nursing colleges in the Sangli–Miraj–Kupwad Corporation area. Data were collected using demographic variables, a structured knowledge questionnaire and an observational checklist for oxygen administration. Content validity was established through expert review, and reliability was reported asr=0.84 using Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were used. Results: Participants were aged 17–20 years; 54% were male and 46% female, and all were first year B.Sc. Nursing   students. Mean knowledge increased from 9.58(SD1.54) in the pretest to 13.43(SD1.34) in the post test, with paired t = 18.86 and p < 0.001. Mean practice increased from 15.64 (SD 1.62) to 19.24 (SD 1.71), with paired t = 21.56 and p < 0.001. Conclusion: Skill-station training was associated with statistically significant improvement in both knowledge and practice regarding oxygen administration.