To evaluate ward nurses′ understanding of nuclear medicine and assess whether they can prepare for scintigraphy procedures and answer patient′s questions about nuclear medicine examinations.

An online questionnaire was provided to nurses in 11 wards of Wuxi Second Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University where nuclear medicine examinations were frequently undergone. The questionnaire contained 3 parts: general data, self-assessment, objective testing of knowledge about nuclear medicine. Professional titles, educations, working years, self-assessment and objective testing for knowledge of nuclear medicine for patients′ preparation and question of involvers were collected. Results of objective knowledge test among different professional titles, educations and the results of self-assessment were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and independent-sample t test. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between objective testing results and working years.

The effective receiving rate of questionnaire was 96.4%(267/277). There were 96.3%(257/267) involvers did not receive any specific training in nuclear medicine, and only 4.9%(13/267) considered they knew nuclear medicine well. There were 50.2%(134/267) involvers thought that their knowledge of nuclear medicine was enough to prepare nuclear medicine examination for patients and 49.8%(133/267) involvers thought that they were able to explain nuclear medicine examination for patients. In objective knowledge test, (14.6±2.8) questions answered correctly for each person, with a correct rate of (54.9±10.5)%. There were (14.1±2.8), (15.5±2.3) and (16.8±3.9) questions answered correctly in involvers with primary title, mid-level title and senior title respectively (F=9.789, P<0.001), and (15.8±2.5), (14.2±2.8) in involvers with bachelor degree or above and college degree (t=3.477, P<0.001). There was only subtle correlation between objective testing results and working years (r=0.257, P<0.01). The main way that involvers obtained nuclear information was through experience-based teaching methods such as introductions from colleagues(57.7%, 154/267) and department education(18.0%, 48/267).

Lacking of formal nuclear medicine orientation is common in ward nurses, and their understanding of nuclear medicine examinations is insufficient. Working characteristics and learning patterns of ward nurses should be considered when providing information on nuclear medicine treatments for them.

Questionnaires; Nuclear medicine; Nurses; Patients′ rooms