[Knowledge and application level of the Ramsay Scale by Mexican nurses specialized in intensive care].
BACKGROUND
Among the intensive care specialized nursing staff, knowing the sedation level of the patient under their responsibility is of crucial importance. The present study evaluated the knowledge that nurses specialized in intensive care (NSIC) have on the Ramsay Scale (RS) and the way in which they apply it.


METHODS
Those personnel who were developing their activity in the intensive care units (ICU) of four public hospitals of the cities of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico were enrolled during May 2003. The information was obtained by applying an expressly designed questionnaire that contained both demographic endpoints (age, years of experience as NSIC and type of ICU) and those related with the RS (clinical components that it evaluates, operative definitions, frequency of use per week or day). 95% (95% CI) confidence intervals were applied and odds ratio (OR) was used to determined the likelihood of the event.


RESULTS
Of the 60 nurses interviewed, 75% did not know the RS. Age was a significant factor associated with its knowledge, since 11 of 23 with an age equal to or less than 38 years (47.8%) and 4 of 37 over 38 years (10.8%) knew what it evaluated (OR of 4 for the group of lower age, 95% CI 1.5 to 12.3, p = 0.002). Of 15 NSIC who knew what it evaluated, 9 (60%) also knew its operative definitions, and stated that they applied it adequately per day.


CONCLUSIONS
In this sample, there is an elevated percentage of NSIC who did not know the RS. Age was the factor associated with lack of knowledge.
Durán-Nah
Jaime Jesús
JJ
Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional Licenciado Ignacio García Téllez, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social y del Hospital General Agustín O'Horán, Secretaría de Salud, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. durannah@prodigy.net.mx
Domínguez-Soberano
Rosario
R
Puerto-Uc
Ena
E
Pérez-Loría
Martín
M
González-Escalante
Rosa Margarita
RM
Lugo-Medina
Nieves
N
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000451:nursing*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D009726:Nurses; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires