The Importance of Glasgow Coma Scale in Emergency Room

Oct 13, 2025 by windailys.com 85 views

The Relationship Between the Level of Education and the Working Period of the Nurse with the Level of Knowledge of the Glasgow Coma Scale at the Emergency Room of Haji Adam Malik Hospital Medan

Introduction

The Glasgow Coma Scale (SKG) is a widely used assessment tool to evaluate the level of patient awareness, particularly in the Emergency Unit (ER). Nurses play a crucial role in the healthcare system as the frontline, and it is essential for them to have a good understanding of SKG. The level of education and years of work experience can influence a nurse's knowledge of SKG. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between the level of education and the work period of nurses with their knowledge of SKG.

The Importance of Glasgow Coma Scale in Emergency Room

The Glasgow Coma Scale (SKG) is a widely used assessment tool to evaluate the level of patient awareness, particularly in the Emergency Unit (ER). It is a crucial tool for healthcare professionals to assess the level of consciousness and predict the outcome of patients with head injuries or other conditions that affect the brain. The SKG consists of three components: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. Each component is scored from 1 to 5, and the total score ranges from 3 to 15. The higher the score, the better the patient's level of consciousness.

The Role of Nurses in Emergency Room

Nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system as the frontline. They are responsible for providing direct care to patients, including assessing their condition, administering medications, and performing various medical procedures. In the ER, nurses are often the first point of contact for patients, and they must be able to assess the patient's condition quickly and accurately. Therefore, it is essential for nurses to have a good understanding of SKG to provide high-quality care to patients.

The Relationship Between Level of Education and Knowledge of SKG

The level of education can influence a nurse's knowledge of SKG. Nurses with higher levels of education may have a better understanding of the SKG and its application in clinical practice. However, the relationship between level of education and knowledge of SKG is not always straightforward. Some nurses with higher levels of education may not have a good understanding of SKG due to various factors, such as lack of training or experience.

The Relationship Between Work Period and Knowledge of SKG

The work period can also influence a nurse's knowledge of SKG. Nurses with more years of work experience may have a better understanding of SKG due to their exposure to various clinical scenarios. However, the relationship between work period and knowledge of SKG is not always significant. Some nurses with more years of work experience may not have a good understanding of SKG due to various factors, such as lack of training or experience.

Research Methods

This study was conducted with a cross-sectional study method at the Adam Malik Haji Hospital ER, Medan in the September to October 2016 period. Data collection was carried out by distributing questionnaires to 48 respondents consisting of nurses who work in the unit. To analyze the relationship between variables, researchers used the Spearman's RHO test, which is a statistical method to assess the correlation between two ordinal variables.

Research Result

Of the 48 respondents evaluated, around 58.3% showed the moderate level of knowledge about SKG. The results of the correlation analysis show that there is no significant relationship between the level of nurse education and their level of knowledge about SKG, with the value of P = 0.415 and RS = 0.120. Likewise, the analysis between work period and knowledge of SKG also shows insignificant results, with a value of P = 0.796 and RS = 0.038.

Discussion

This finding shows that although nurses have a variety of educational backgrounds and work experience, this does not significantly affect their level of knowledge about SKG. There are several factors that might affect this result. First, the training and education methods followed by nurses may not include in-depth material regarding SKG, even though they have higher formal education. Second, the situation in the field, such as working pressure and the number of cases handled in the ER, can affect the nurse's capacity to deepen their knowledge of SKG.

Conclusion

In this study, no significant relationship was found between the level of education and the work period of nurses and their knowledge of the Glasgow coma scale. This highlights the need for improvements in nurses' training and education so that they can better understand and apply SKG in everyday clinical practice. The implementation of professional development programs that focus on SKG knowledge is very necessary to improve the quality of health services in the ER.

Recommendation

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Improvement in Nurses' Training and Education: Hospitals and educational institutions should evaluate and improve the methods of education and training nurses so that they are better prepared to face an emergency situation.
Professional Development Programs: The implementation of professional development programs that focus on SKG knowledge is very necessary to improve the quality of health services in the ER.
Continuous Education: Nurses should be encouraged to participate in continuous education programs to improve their knowledge and skills in SKG and other awareness assessment techniques.
Simulation-Based Training: Simulation-based training can be an effective way to improve nurses' knowledge and skills in SKG and other awareness assessment techniques.

By implementing these recommendations, nurses can provide high-quality care to patients in the ER, and the quality of health services can be improved.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Relationship Between the Level of Education and the Working Period of the Nurse with the Level of Knowledge of the Glasgow Coma Scale

Q: What is the Glasgow Coma Scale (SKG)?

A: The Glasgow Coma Scale (SKG) is a widely used assessment tool to evaluate the level of patient awareness, particularly in the Emergency Unit (ER). It is a crucial tool for healthcare professionals to assess the level of consciousness and predict the outcome of patients with head injuries or other conditions that affect the brain.

Q: What is the role of nurses in the Emergency Room?

A: Nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system as the frontline. They are responsible for providing direct care to patients, including assessing their condition, administering medications, and performing various medical procedures. In the ER, nurses are often the first point of contact for patients, and they must be able to assess the patient's condition quickly and accurately.

Q: What is the relationship between the level of education and the knowledge of SKG?

A: The level of education can influence a nurse's knowledge of SKG. Nurses with higher levels of education may have a better understanding of the SKG and its application in clinical practice. However, the relationship between level of education and knowledge of SKG is not always straightforward. Some nurses with higher levels of education may not have a good understanding of SKG due to various factors, such as lack of training or experience.

Q: What is the relationship between the work period and the knowledge of SKG?

A: The work period can also influence a nurse's knowledge of SKG. Nurses with more years of work experience may have a better understanding of SKG due to their exposure to various clinical scenarios. However, the relationship between work period and knowledge of SKG is not always significant. Some nurses with more years of work experience may not have a good understanding of SKG due to various factors, such as lack of training or experience.

Q: What are the implications of this study?

A: The findings of this study highlight the need for improvements in nurses' training and education so that they can better understand and apply SKG in everyday clinical practice. The implementation of professional development programs that focus on SKG knowledge is very necessary to improve the quality of health services in the ER.

Q: What are the recommendations of this study?

A: Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Improvement in Nurses' Training and Education: Hospitals and educational institutions should evaluate and improve the methods of education and training nurses so that they are better prepared to face an emergency situation.
Professional Development Programs: The implementation of professional development programs that focus on SKG knowledge is very necessary to improve the quality of health services in the ER.
Continuous Education: Nurses should be encouraged to participate in continuous education programs to improve their knowledge and skills in SKG and other awareness assessment techniques.
Simulation-Based Training: Simulation-based training can be an effective way to improve nurses' knowledge and skills in SKG and other awareness assessment techniques.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: This study has several limitations, including:

Small sample size: The sample size of this study is relatively small, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Cross-sectional design: The study uses a cross-sectional design, which may not capture the dynamic nature of nurses' knowledge and skills in SKG.
Self-reported data: The study relies on self-reported data, which may be subject to biases and errors.

Q: What are the future directions of this study?

A: Future studies should aim to address the limitations of this study by using larger sample sizes, longitudinal designs, and objective measures of nurses' knowledge and skills in SKG. Additionally, studies should investigate the effectiveness of professional development programs and simulation-based training in improving nurses' knowledge and skills in SKG.