Assessment of knowledge on pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart disease among nursing officers attached to postnatal units of a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka

Introduction: Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) refers to any severe cardiac anomaly existing since birth and requiring surgical or catheter-based intervention during infancy 

Objective: To assess knowledge on pulse oximetry (POS) protocol and its interpretation among nursing officers attached to postnatal wards of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital.

Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the nursing officers’ knowledge on POS. Data were collected from the nursing officers in the postnatal wards who had working experience of one month or more by using an interviewer administered questionnaire. According to the responses, results were graded as unacceptable, acceptable and satisfactory. 

Results: Fifty three female nurses working in the postnatal wards participated in the study. The average working experience was 72 months. The average score obtained was 6.4 (SD 1.63) out of a total of 9. Ninety one percent scored above 5, 98% knew the correct sites of saturation measurements, 91% were aware about the purpose of neonatal POS and 66% knew the optimal time of performing the test. Seventy percent knew the test is positive if the SpO₂ difference between limbs is more than 3, but only 43% knew the test is positive if SpO₂ is <90% in any limb. Further, only 52% were aware of interpreting inconclusive test results (SpO₂ 90-94%). There was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the knowledge according to working experience.

Conclusions: More than 90% of nursing officers had acceptable or satisfactory knowledge of POS. More than 90% knew the purpose of screening and the appropriate limbs to check saturations. Only 66% knew the optimal time to perform the study. Lag of knowledge was seen in interpretation of positive as well as inconclusive results.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2019; 48(2): 146-151