EC Nutrition

Background: Malnutrition is a critical global public health issue that significantly impacts individuals' health and quality of life. It leads to various complications, including impaired immune function, delayed wound healing, and increased morbidity and mortality rates. In healthcare settings, nurses play a vital role in addressing malnutrition through nutritional assessments and interventions. Despite their integral position, there is limited information regarding nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to nutritional services in Ethiopia. Understanding these factors is essential for improving the quality of nutritional care provided to patients and enhancing health outcomes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2019, involving 422 randomly selected nurses from 13 hospitals across various regions of Ethiopia. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire that assessed sociodemographic factors, as well as knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to nutritional services. The collected data were analyzed using EPI Info 7 and SPSS version 20, employing descriptive statistics to summarize the findings.

Results: Out of the 422 nurses surveyed, 384 participated, resulting in a response rate of 90%. The demographic analysis revealed that the majority of participants were female (63.3%) and aged between 25 to 35 years. The findings indicated that 65.5% of nurses displayed adequate knowledge regarding nutritional services, while 69.2% exhibited a positive attitude towards these services. Furthermore, 66.8% of respondents reported engaging in good practices related to nutritional care. However, a notable portion of the participants (over 25%) demonstrated unfavorable levels of knowledge, attitudes, and practices, indicating a need for targeted interventions.

Conclusion: While a majority of nurses showed sufficient knowledge and positive attitudes toward nutritional services, significant gaps remain that could hinder the quality of care. Enhanced training and resources are essential to improve nurses' KAP, ultimately leading to better nutritional care for patients. Stakeholders should prioritize the integration of comprehensive nutritional education and support to ensure effective service delivery in health facilities.

 Keywords: Knowledge; Attitude; Practices; Nutrition Services; Nurses

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