N . A . Alomairy : Radioprotection 2024 , 59 ( 1 ), 36 – 41 37
Abbas reveal inconsistencies in nurses ’ understanding of radiation protection , particularly those without specialized training ( Babaloui et al ., 2018 ; Kurtul , 2018 ). Saudi Arabia , too , shows a paucity of studies addressing the knowledge and attitudes of nurses regarding radiation safety .
In light of these concerns and the scarce local data , this study aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes related to radiation protection among nurses working in PICUs in the southern region of Saudi Arabia . Such an investigation is crucial for enhancing radiation safety education , fostering inter-professional cooperation , and consequently improving patient care . The outcomes will inform educational curricula and institutional policies , serving as a resource for healthcare administrators and stakeholders focused on optimizing radiation safety protocols in clinical settings .
2 Materials and methods
2.1 Study design and population
This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive research design to examine the knowledge and attitudes of nurses concerning radiation protection in PICUs across a purposive selection of seven hospitals in Saudi Arabia . Data collection occurred over a finite time span , specifically from January to February 2022 . The study ’ s focus was on PICUs because nurses in these units frequently assist in executing radiographic examinations for critically ill patients who are not transportable to radiology departments . Sample size calculations were conducted using G * Power statistical software , taking into account an effect size of 0.3 , an alpha level of 0.05 , and a statistical power of 0.95 for independent T-tests . Based on these parameters , the minimum required sample size was determined to be 134 participants . However , a total of 160 nurses participated , exceeding the calculated minimum requirement , thereby enhancing the study ’ s statistical power . A convenience sampling strategy was implemented to facilitate participant recruitment . The survey instrument was disseminated electronically via Google Forms and was conveyed to the potential nurse respondents through their supervisory channels via email . To optimize response rates , two email reminders were sent at three-week intervals .
2.2 Ethical considerations
All ethical considerations were adhered to , including obtaining institutional review board approval and informed consent from participants . Confidentiality and anonymity were strictly maintained .
2.3 Data collection tool and scoring
The data collection instrument used was a structured , 17- item , self-administered questionnaire , adapted from previous research , which was validated and tested for reliability in prior studies by Yusuf et al . ( 2020 ) and Luntsi et al . ( 2016 ), ensuring its suitability for this investigation . The questionnaire used for data collection was structured into three distinct Sections : ( 1 ) demographic Information , which captured data on participants ’ age , gender , work experience , level of education , and specific hospital and working unit ; ( 2 ) nurses ’ Knowledge on Radiation , consisting of seven questions designed to assess the nurses ’ understanding of radiation issues ; and ( 3 ) attitude of Nurses towards Radiation , which included four questions focusing on the nurses ’ attitudes toward radiation protection . For Sections 2 and 3 , the response options were “ Yes ,” “ No ,” or “ I don ’ t Know ,” with correct answers scoring 1 point and incorrect answers or “ I don ’ t Know ” responses scoring 0 points . The possible score range for knowledge was 0 – 7 points , and for attitudes , it was 0 – 4 points , yielding an overall range of 0 – 11 points . Participants who scored above 70 % of the total possible score in each category ( i . e ., above 4.9 for knowledge and above 2.8 for attitudes ) were classified as having good knowledge and attitude . Conversely , those who scored less than 70 % were considered to have poor knowledge and attitude .
It should be noted that the nurses in the PICU in our study setting do not use personal dosimeters , which is in line with the guidelines of the national regulatory authority and the dominant practice in the ICU context . Consequently , the questionnaire used in our study did not include an item about the use of personal dosimeters .
2.4 Data analysis
Data analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics , Version 26 . Descriptive statistical measures such as frequencies , percentages , and means were calculated to summarize the dataset . For inferential statistics , a range of tests were employed , including the independent T-test , Analysis of Variance ( ANOVA ), Spearman ’ s rank-order correlation , and linear regression models . A p-value threshold of less than 0.05 was set to determine statistical significance .
3 Results
Table 1 presents the demographic characteristics of the participants and their respective knowledge and attitude scores towards radiation protection . The study involved 160 participants , predominantly female ( 91 %). The participants were divided into four age groups : 21 – 25 years ( 10 %), 26 – 30 years ( 33 %), 31 – 35 years ( 38 %), and 36 years and above ( 19 %). The education level of the participants was evenly split between those with a diploma and those with a bachelor ’ s degree . In terms of years of experience , the majority of the participants had between 1 – 5 years ( 39 %) and 6 – 10 years ( 33 %) of experience , with fewer having 11 – 15 years ( 22 %) and 16 years and above ( 6.2 %). Only a small proportion of the participants ( 6.2 %) had training in radiation protection .
In the study , females had slightly higher mean knowledge ( 3.0 ± 1.4 ) and attitude scores ( 3.1 ± 0.9 ) than males ( knowledge : 2.5 ± 0.8 , attitude : 2.9 ± 0.7 ). The 26 – 30 age group had the highest mean knowledge score ( 3.26 ± 1.3 ), while the 36 and above age group had the highest attitude score ( 3.1 ± 0.92 ). Participants with a Bachelor ’ s degree had a higher mean knowledge score ( 3.2 ± 1.4 ) compared to those with a Diploma ( 2.7 ± 1.3 ), with a significant difference observed across education levels ( p = 0.044 ), but both groups had similar attitude scores ( 3.1 ). Participants with 16 years and above experience had the highest mean knowledge score ( 3.2 ± 1.69 ),