Page 65 - GS_Journal_2015

Urdaneta City University

colleagues to take action and start to quit smoking. Finally, a parallel study should be conducted
to determine their level of awareness on the No Smoking Policy and Effects to Health; and the
extent of implementation of the No Smoking Policy with a more diverse group of respondents
like patients; their immediate relatives and wider locus of the study.

LEVEL OF COMPETENCE OF NURSES IN PROVIDING HEALTHCARE
TO APPENDECTOMY PATIENTS
KAYCEE G. BRAVO

The study discovered the levels of competence of the nurses in providing healthcare
to appendectomy patients in terms of pre-operative, intra-operative and post- operative. The
study considered as well the attributes of the staff nurses in terms of age, sex, civil status,
highest educational attainment, position and length of service. Similarly, significant relationship
between the levels of competence of the nurses in providing healthcare and their attributes were
recognized. Finally, basing from the findings of the study, measures were suggested to formulate
a program to address the needs of the nurses to improve and maintain their level of competence.
The study was conducted in Urdaneta Sacred Heart Hospital, Urdaneta District Hospital and Dr.
Marcelo Chan Hospital. Forty (40) staff nurses including volunteers served as the respondents
from whom the data were gathered. The descriptive type of research was employed using
the questionnaire as the main data gathering tool. Statistical treatment of data like frequency,
percentage, weighted mean, ANOVA and Pearson r Coefficient of Correlation were utilized in
treating the data gathered.
The findings of the study revealed that most of the staff nurses were from the age
bracket 21-25, majority of them are female who are married. Most of them are college graduate
and there are eight (8) of them who have Master’s degree. There are fifteen (15) of them who
was a ward nurse and fourteen (14) of them was an Operating Room (OR) nurses, with three
(3) supervisor, two (2) Head Nurses and six (6) Volunteer Nurses. Also, majority of them have a
length of service of 1-3 years, eleven (11) from 4-6 years and lastly a six (6) respondents from
7 years and above. In relation to Pre- operative, it has a weighted mean of 4.75 which has a
transmuted rating of “Very Competent”, as well as Intra- operative has a weighted mean of 4.76
which also have an equivalent of “Very Competent”. And lastly was the Post- operative who has
a weighted mean of 4.60 and also with a equivalent of “Very Competent”.
Through a suggested programs for nurses to improve and maintain their levels of
competence in providing healthcare along Pre-operative, Intra-operative and Post-operative can
be address. From the findings of the study, it is recommended the providing a continuous
education can help nurses to improve and maintain their levels of competence in Pre-operative,
Intra-operative and Post-operative aspects. The implementation of the suggested measures
should be assessed after a period of time in order to determine effectiveness. Other researchers
can conduct research in line with the present study to validate the findings.

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