Student Nurses Knowledge of Multiple Sclerosis and its Care

Abstract

Nursing college students from Northern Border University in Arar, Saudi Arabia, are the study participants. There they examined their level of knowledge and understanding the care of patients with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a complicated neurological condition that requires extensive and holistic nursing care because of its symptoms, which have a substantial negative impact on the patient’s quality of life. Therefore, nurses are crucial in helping and educating multiple sclerosis patients and their caretakers through education and training programs. Most of the nursing students complete their education with insufficient knowledge and training on multiple sclerosis care, specifically with regards to patient care support and symptoms management. Eighty nursing students were selected from the fourth year and internship program; the students are asked to complete a semi-structured questionnaire as a part of a nonexperimentaldescriptive study design. The tool focused on the etiology, symptoms, risk factors, and nursing interventions of patients with multiple sclerosis. The findings of the study clearly showed that the students have a basicknowledge on multiple sclerosis, there were significant gaps in certain areas like pharmaceutical management, chronic symptom management, and tiredness reduction. The internship students knowledge wereslightly better than the fourth-year students; this was mainly due to their clinical experience. But both groups had less knowledge with more complex multiple sclerosis care, such as special therapies and psychological assistance. There was a Significant correlation between knowledge level and demographic characteristics like age, marital status, and previous experience with multiple sclerosis care was found by statistical analysis. These results highlighted the necessity of improving the nursing course content specifically on the disease condition, prognosis, and nursing management of patients with multiple sclerosis by incorporating simulation-based learning and advanced care techniques. These knowledge gaps can be covered by implementing multiple sclerosis focused educational modules and hands-on training, which would help to enhance the competence level of student nurses to deliver holistic care during their working phase with multiple sclerosis.