The Competencies of Professional Nurses for Caring for Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients at a Tertiary Level Hospital in Samutsakhon Province

Abstract

          This research aimed to study the competencies of professional nurses who care for patients with acute myocardial infarction in a tertiary level hospital in Samutsakhon Province. The samples were composed of 155 professional nurses who had work experience for over three years. The research instruments were personal data questionnaire and nurse competency questionnaire. The content validity index (CVI) of the questionnaire was 0.87, and its reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficients was 0.99. Data were analyzed for percentage, mean, standard deviation, and factor analysis.

          The major findings were as follows. The competencies of the professional nurses for caring acute myocardial infarction patients at a tertiary level hospital composed five factors including; 1) health education for patients and their relatives and knowledge development of the nursing team, 2) assessment, nursing diagnosis and planning for initial intervention, 3) technology utilization, research, communication, innovation and ethics, 4) advise  nursing intervention and equipment preparation in crisis management, and 5) nursing after the opening of the coronary arteries. These five factors could explain the variance of competency at 70.41 percents.

          The findings of the study can be applied to promote competency of professional nurses in caring for patients with acute myocardial infarction.