Knowledge, Attitude and Performance of IMNCI Trained Nursing Personnel: An Evaluative Survey

A cross-sectional survey of nursing personnel’s knowledge, attitude and their consultations with sick children under 5 y of age, at specified levels of health care in terms of IMNCI guidelines, was conducted at six community health centers (CHC) of a selected district of Haryana, India.

Total enumeration technique was used to assess knowledge and attitude of 183 IMNCI trained nursing personnel towards the training programme using a pretested structured questionnaire. Total 236 consultations of sick children presenting to the facilities made by conveniently selected 65 nursing personnel were also observed.

Majority of nursing personnel had good knowledge 94 (51.4 %) and excellent attitude 98 (53.55 %) scores related to IMNCI programme. Nursing personnel performed best in assessing sick children (2 mo–5 y) in areas of fever (89.7 %, CI 96.9–79.7), cough (89.2 %, CI 96.7–81.6), and identifying treatment (89.1 %, CI 96.7–83.7). Their performance in identifying classifications related to diarrhea (74.1 %, CI 84.7–62.8), malnutrition (67.2 %, CI 78.6–59.0), anemia (77.3 %, CI 87.5–70.0), immunization (78.9 % CI 88.8–71.8) and feeding problem (75.9 %, CI 86.3–66.9) was relatively less. Similarly, in assessing young infants (0–2 mo) performance of nursing personnel was best in the areas of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) (88.1 %, CI 99.1–87.3), and identifying the treatment (86.7 %, CI 94.9–80.2) and low in dehydration (70.8 %, CI81.8–52.6), feeding problem (50.5 %, CI 62.7–40.9), feeding assessment (50.6 %, CI 62.8–39.8), and immunization (70 %, CI 81.1–61.2).

IMNCI trained nursing personnel have good knowledge and attitude towards child care and their performance can be improved further with drills, exercises and supervised practices.