title: Nurse practitioner knowledge of chronic venous disease: a randomized survey of nurse practitioners in Missouri.
abstract: Adult nurse practitioners (NPs) and family practice NPs were randomly sampled (N = 411) from the Missouri 2002 list of certified advanced practice nurses. These practitioners were sent a cover letter and the Diseases of Veins Explanation Survey, which was originally developed for assessing patients' explanatory model of the disease. The Diseases of Veins Explanation Survey was tested and revised with professionals (experts) to determine adequate knowledge of the disease. The survey has 5 sections focusing on chronic venous disease: causes, signs, results, treatments, and efficacy of treatments. Section scores and a total score for the participants were calculated by using the expert panel answer model. A total of 138 practitioners responded, with an additional 37 letters returned with an incorrect address, for a total usable response rate of 34%. Demographics of the participants are presented, as well as comparisons between the expert mean section scores and the mean section scores of the NPs. The section scores of the NPs were not significantly different than the section scores of the expert panel; however, the total score of the NPs was significantly different from that of the expert panel ( P =.05). This, plus individual item differences, has implications for NP education and practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-St Louis, USA.
authors.forename: Janice D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Nunnelee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015984:Causality; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003625:Data Collection; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000592:standards; D004522:Educational Status; D022143:Family Nursing; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy