Status and influencing factors of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oxygen therapy among clinical nurses in Anhui Province, China

Abstract

Background To investigate the current status of knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oxygen therapy among clinical nurses in Anhui Province (with a predominantly nursing sample), analyze the associated factors, and provide a basis for developing targeted training strategies. Methods Using convenience sampling, 1,172 clinical nurses from 24 hospitals in Anhui Province were selected from August to December 2025. A self-developed “Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Survey on Oxygen Therapy for Clinical Nurses” was used, and associated factors were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Results The standardized scores for nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices were (75.28 ± 9.03), (85.77 ± 11.71), and (79.99 ± 14.82), respectively. Multiple linear regression showed that gender, occupation, professional title, and hospital level were associated with the knowledge dimension (p < 0.05); occupation, education level, hospital level, and participation in oxygen therapy training were associated with the attitude dimension (p < 0.05); and attitude, professional title, years of work, and participation in training were associated with the practice dimension (p < 0.05). However, the physician sample was extremely small (n = 9), and the occupation-related finding should be interpreted with caution. Conclusion The overall KAP levels are moderate, with positive attitudes but significant knowledge gaps. Training participation was associated with better attitudes and practices but not with knowledge scores, suggesting that current training may need to emphasize updated guidelines and pathophysiology. Given the predominantly nursing sample (99.2%), findings are most directly applicable to nursing staff.