Knowledge levels of pediatric nurses regarding the care of patients with chest tubes: A descriptive and cross-sectional study.

AIM: This study aimed to determine pediatric nurses' knowledge regarding the care of patients with chest tubes and to examine whether knowledge scores differ according to sociodemographic, educational, and professional characteristics. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 320 pediatric nurses assessed using a 40-item Pediatric Chest Tube Care Knowledge Questionnaire (Kuder-Richardson 20 [KR-20] coefficient of 0.656) between August and December 2025. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Welch's ANOVA, Games-Howell post-hoc test, and Spearman correlation analysis. Effect sizes were reported using Cohen's d, eta-squared, and Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The nurses' mean age and clinical experience were 27.87 ± 2.19 years and 4.94 ± 2.31 years, respectively. Prior training in chest tube care was reported by 57.2% of participants. The nurses' mean total knowledge score was 64.16 ± 10.53 out of 100 (95% confidence interval: 63.01-65.32). Nurses scored lowest in the section related to the monitoring and care of patients with chest tubes (mean score: 34.00 ± 7.89 out of 60). Knowledge scores differed significantly according to the nurses' sex, clinical unit, presence and setting of prior chest tube care training, self-assessed theoretical knowledge level, and frequency of encountering patients with chest tubes. Knowledge scores correlated positively with age and clinical experience and negatively with the time elapsed since training. CONCLUSION: Pediatric nurses had moderate knowledge of chest tube management, with knowledge deficits regarding monitoring and care. IMPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: Evidence-based training and mentorship on chest tube care should be implemented to standardize practice and improve patient safety.