While complications following thyroidectomy are rare, their
consequences can be life-threatening. So nurses must recognized complications
that may arise as a result of thyroidectomy.Aim of the study: was to assess
nurses' performance for patients undergoing thyriodectomy and post
thyroidectomy complications that face those patients. Research questions:
What is the nurses' performance for patients undergoing thyroidectomy? and
What are the postoperative complications that face patients undergoing
thyroidectomy?.Subjects and methods: The study was carried out at general
surgery department and out patient clinics of this department at Assiut
University Hospital. The sample consisted of 36 (male and female) nurse who
were currently assigned for giving care of 40 patients who had undergone
thyroidectomy. The methodology is divided into four designs :Technical
design,operational design, Administrative design,and Statistical design. Tools
utilized for data collection were interview questionnaire sheet, observation
checklist for nurses and patient assessment sheet. Results:The results showed
that; less than half of nurses (41.7%) have an age less than 40 years old.
Nursing diploma was the highest proportion (94.4 %), and none of them got
the opportunity of attending any previous training program about nursing care
for patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Also results showed that more than half
of the patients (67.7%) have an age ranged from 30 to 44 years., most of them
(87.5%) were female and more than half (52.5 %) of patients had simple
goiter and subtotal thyroidectomy was the most surgical procedure frequently
performed. Some patients developed some complications in different times. In
conclusion: Nurses showed inadequacy of their performance regarding care of
patients undergoing thyroidectomy, and some patients developed postoperative
complications and the most prevalent during all times of researcher’s follow
up were tetany and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Recommendation:
Nurses in need for in-services training programs and refreshing courses to improve their knowledge which will reflect into their performance while
working with patients.