A Descriptive Co-Relational Study Analysis of Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Antenatal Examination Among Nursing Students in Aligarh

Abstract

Background: Preparing physically and mentally for childbirth and motherhood is known as the prenatal stage. For parents and those close to them, becoming a part is a period of tremendous learning. There may be a lot of hope and happy expectation during this time. Having a healthy mother and child at the end of pregnancy is the main goal of prenatal care. More crucial than quantity is the quality of care. The majority of women get through the phase with targeted evaluation, encouragement, and supporting actions. Significant mortality and morbidity are risks for both the mother and the foetus under life-threatening situations. The study's goals were to evaluate nursing students' attitudes about the prenatal exam and their level of knowledge about it at a chosen nursing school in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to evaluate and compare nursing students' attitudes and knowledge regarding prenatal exams.

Methods: A quantitative, descriptive, co-relational study was carried out at Jeevan Jyoti Institute of Nursing & Paramedical Sciences, Maheshwari College of Nursing & College of Nursing, AMU, Aligarh. Data were collected using structured questionnaire for which validity and reliability was ensured. 64 nursing students were selected through non-probability convenience sampling technique who are currently undergoing 3rd year GNM, 1st year PBBSc and 6^th & 7^th Semester B. Sc. Nursing programme and attended regular classes on antenatal examination.

Results: The results showed that nursing students' mean prenatal exam knowledge score was 20 (66%). Nonetheless, the vast majority of nursing students (n=54, 84%) lacked sufficient prenatal examination knowledge. According to the study, nursing students had favourable opinions of prenatal exams, as evidenced by their mean score of 75.2 (89.5%) out of a possible 84 (SD 4). Additionally, the study shows a weakly significant correlation (P<0.05) between nursing students' attitudes towards prenatal exams and their understanding of the subject. Knowledge about antenatal examination is strongly influenced by different nursing programs (???? = 0.001), but nursing students' attitudes were influenced by the number of times they did antenatal examination and the total amount of theory hours they attended (P <0.05).

Conclusions: The majority of nursing students had a positive attitude towards prenatal exams despite their lack of information. Since nurses are the primary healthcare professionals in community settings, improving their expertise can help them successfully contribute to the goal of lowering the rate of mother and newborn mortality.