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Health assessment: A study of registered nurses' knowledge and skill level
Michael Wilson
Senior Lecturer, School of Nursing, La Trobe University, VIC
Jennifer Lillibridge
Lecturer, School of Nursing, La Trobe University, VIC
Abstract
In Australia, there is a paucity of published studies which investigate the role of health assessment in nursing practice. The purpose of the following study was to establish whether registered nurses perceived health assessment to be a central component of their nursing practice. A pre-and post-test design was used to evaluate if any changes were evident in perceived nursing knowledge and skill level following an educational program. The target population was all registered nurses enrolled in a health assessment subject offered in a post-registration Bachelor of Nursing course. A paired, two-tailed test showed statistically significant changes in the registered nurses' attitudes towards health assessment. In addition, statistically significant changes were demonstrated in the group's perceived comfortableness with health assessment knowledge and skill level. The results of this project have been used to guide and shape nursing curricula in the area of teaching health assessment.
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