KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE TOWARDS DOCUMENTATION AND QUALITY RECORD KEEPING AMONG NURSES IN FAITH MEDIPLEX HOSPITAL BENIN CITY.

Abstract

Proper documentation and quality record keeping are essential aspects of professional nursing practice, ensuring accountability, legal protection, and continuity of patient care. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practice of nurses towards documentation and quality record keeping at Faith Mediplex Hospital, Benin City, Edo State. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed, and a census sampling technique was used to include all 40 qualified nurses in the study. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.0. Findings revealed that 80% of the respondents demonstrated good knowledge of nursing documentation and quality record keeping, indicating a generally high understanding of its importance in patient management. Similarly, 55% of the nurses showed a positive attitude toward documentation, recognizing it as a professional responsibility that enhances care quality and reduces legal risks. In terms of practice, 57.5% of respondents demonstrated good documentation behavior, showing that most nurses adhered to proper record-keeping standards. However, time constraints and inadequate supervision were identified as challenges affecting consistency. The test of hypothesis revealed no significant relationship between nurses’ knowledge and their practice of documentation and record keeping (χ² = 0.456, df = 1, p = 0.11). The study concludes that nurses at Faith Mediplex generally exhibit good knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding documentation, though institutional and workload factors still pose limitations. It is recommended that continuous training, supportive supervision, and improved documentation facilities be provided to sustain and enhance documentation quality. Strengthening these areas will promote effective communication, patient safety, and accountability within nursing practice. Keywords: Nursing documentation, quality record keeping, knowledge, attitude, practice, Faith Mediplex, Benin City.