engleski

NURSES' AND NURSING STUDENTS' FAMILIARITY WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Introduction: previous studies have shown that within the nursing population there is lack of knowledge or understanding of different aspects of autism spectrum disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine the basic familiarity of nurses and nursing students with clinical picture of autism spectrum disorders. Methods: the methodology of the study included a non-experimental, quantitative questionnaire survey. The questionnaire that was used in this research was created using online tools for creating forms and implementing surveys. The research was focused on the population of working nurses and nursing students in the area of Varaždin, Zagreb, Osijek and Dubrovnik. The results are statistically processed in free R programming language, version R 3.4.1 for Windows, and are presented numerically and by percentage. Results and discussion: research results show that the concepts of social interaction, interpersonal communication, behaviors and interests of children with autism spectrum disorders are conceptually known among the surveyed population. In the specific areas of care (medication and its side effects, diet specificity, behavioral therapy as part of treatment, child inclusion in school environment, communication with families from different cultures, community resource information) there is a visible area for improving the existing knowledge and level of awareness. The results have been correlated with previously conducted researches and confirm that within the nursing population there is a deficiency of knowledge or lacking awareness of the problematics. Conclusion: the results call for a systematic and continuous education of both nursing students and working nurses through lifelong learning.

autism spectrum disorder, nurses, familiarity

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