AN EXPLORATORY STUDY TO ASSESS THE COGNITION OF STAFF NURSES REGARDING BRAIN DEATH WORKING IN CRITICAL CARE UNITS OF CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, LUDHIANA, PUNJAB

An irreversible, catastrophic brain injury, which causes total cessation of all brain functions (the upper brain structure and brain stem) is known as brain death. The present study was conducted with the purpose of assessing the cognition of staff nurses regarding brain death working in critical care units of Christian Medical College andHospital, Ludhiana, Punjab. The aim of the study was to gain insight into the staff nurses' cognition regarding brain death with a view to exploring specific deficits in cognition and conducting a teaching on brain death to increase their level of cognition. The objectives of the study were to assess the level of staff nurses' cognition regarding brain death and to identify the relationship of staff nurses’ cognition with personal & professional factors. A cognition assessment tool on brain death was developed and used. The conceptual framework was based on the basis of Millers Pyramid of Clinical Competence (1990). The pilot study was conducted to ensure the reliability of the tool and feasibility of the study. By using the non-probability, purposive sampling technique, the data was collected from 100 staff nurses who were working in critical care units of Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab. The data was analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that the maximum number of staff nurses, i.e., 57%, had an average level of cognition regarding brain death.