title: Survey of Italian intensive care unit nurses' knowledge about endotracheal suctioning guidelines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endotracheal suctioning is a common procedure performed by intensive care nurses in order to establish and maintain gas exchange, adequate oxygenation and alveolar ventilation in critically ill patients under mechanical ventilation. As this procedure is associated with several complications and risks nurses should have an adequate knowledge on how to perform the procedure according to the evidence-based practice. Previously only a few studies have analysed nurses' knowledge of the guidelines on endotracheal suctioning.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the knowledge of the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC, 2010) evidence-based guidelines on the endotracheal suctioning technique by Italian intensive care nurses in different hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous questionnaire based on previous studies was sent to a selected sample composed of the intensive care unit (ICU) nurses of 16 ICUs in 11 Italian hospitals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The questionnaire was sent to 379 nurses, with 65% of questionnaires returned completed. The total percentage of correct answers was 58%, and nobody completed the questionnaire without mistakes. Moreover, only 2.5% (n = 6) of the nurses gave 9/10 correct answers. Correct answers were more common amongst the more experienced ICU nurses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Italian ICU nurses' knowledge of guidelines on endotracheal suctioning was not complete; however, experienced nurses demonstrated a better knowledge of the subject.
authors.affiliation: General Intensive Care Unit, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; School of Nursing, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: negro.alessandra1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Negro
authors.affiliation: San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: robyranzani@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ranzani
authors.affiliation: General Intensive Care Unit, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: villa.mariagrazia@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Mariagrazia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: manara.duilio@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Duilio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000451:nursing; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards*; D013396:Suction / Q000451:nursing*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Endotracheal suctioning; Evidence based guidelines; Intensive care; Knowledge; Survey