Effect of designing a nursing educational protocol on frequency of epileptic attacks

Abstract

Background and objective: Educating the epileptic patient represents a critical part of quality care and is considered a therapeutic outcome for those patients. This study aimed to determine epileptic patients' knowledge regarding the disease and frequency of seizure attacks prior to the implementation of the educational protocol and to evaluate the effect of an educational protocol on epileptic patient's knowledge and frequency of seizure attacks.

Methods: Design: A quasi-experimental (pre-posttest) design was submit to meet the aim of the study. Patients: Sixty convenient male and female adult seizure patients were their age ranged between 18-64 years. Setting: This study was carried out in Neurological department and neurology out-patient clinic at Minia University Hospital.  Tools of data collection: Four tools were utilized; Pre/posttest questionnaire sheet, Perceived Stress Scale, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and patient teaching booklet.

Results: About 86.7% of the study sample has an unsatisfactory level of knowledge about seizures and 13.3% have satisfactory knowledge about seizures before the implementation of the protocol. While in posttest II it was noticed that 90.0% have satisfactory knowledge about seizures. There was a high positive significant correlation between perceived stress scale and frequency of attacks among the study subjects.

Conclusions: An improvement in seizure patients’ knowledge after the implementation of the educational protocol. An improvement in patient’s knowledge positively reflected on minimization and control frequency of seizure attacks. Recommendation: An educational and training protocol should be planned in a continuous manner and offered on regular basis to seizure patients.