Paediatric fever management: continuing education for clinical nurses.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the influence of level of practice, additional paediatric education and length of paediatric and current experience on nurses' knowledge of and beliefs about fever and fever management.


METHODS
Fifty-one nurses from medical wards in an Australian metropolitan paediatric hospital completed a self-report descriptive survey.


RESULTS
Knowledge of fever management was mediocre (Mean 12.4, SD 2.18 on 20 items). Nurses practicing at a higher level and those with between one and four years paediatric or current experience were more knowledgeable than novices or more experienced nurses. Negative beliefs that would impact nursing practice were identified. Interestingly, beliefs about fever, antipyretic use in fever management and febrile seizures were similar; they were not influenced by nurses' knowledge, experience, education or level of practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Paediatric nurses are not expert fever managers. Knowledge deficits and negative attitudes influence their practice irrespective of additional paediatric education, paediatric or current experience or level of practice. Continuing education is therefore needed for all paediatric nurses to ensure the latest clear evidence available in the literature for best practice in fever management is applied.
Walsh
Anne M
AM
School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove 4059, Australia. am.walsh@qut.edu.au
Edwards
Helen E
HE
Courtney
Mary D
MD
Wilson
Jenny E
JE
Monaghan
Sarah J
SJ
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002568:Certification; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004522:Educational Status; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009341:Negativism; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009736:Nursing Process; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic