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. 2025 Aug 25;24:1108. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03784-5

Table 2.

IAP measurement behaviour of adult critical care nurses(n = 1068)

No. Variable Frequency Percentage
1 Have measured IAP
Yes 768 71.9%
No 300 28.1%
2 Reasons why not measured
Lack of attention from managers 30 10%
Lack of training 180 60%
Lack of indication of measurement 88 29.3%
Insufficient understanding of relevant evidence 89 29.7%
Lack of medical insurance and other related policy support 50 16.7%
The complex operation process increases nurses’ workload 29 9.7%
Lack of related equipment 142 47.3%
3 Measurement approach
By abdominal puncture 2 0.3%
By laparoscopy 2 0.3%
By bladder 754 98.2%
By gastric 6
By rectum 2 0.3%
By the inferior vena cava 2 0.3%
4 Measurement methods
Traditional (intermittent) technique 642 85.1%
Continuous (pressure transducers) technique 179 23.7%
Urodynamic monitoring 175 23.2%
5 Comforted and explained to awake patients before measurement
Always 365 47.5%
Often 200 26%
Sometimes 140 18.2%
Occasionally 50 6.5%
Never 13 1.7%
6 Ensured the tube was free of bubbles and blockages
Always 542 70.6%
Often 172 22.4%
Sometimes 42 5.5%
Occasionally 12 1.6%
Never 0 0
7 Patients body position when measuring
Completely supine position with straight legs 353 46%
Head of bed ≤ 15° 48 6.3%
Head of bed ≥ 30° 16 2.1%
Keep the same position as zeroing 351 45.7%
8 Zero reference point
Pubic symphysis 297 38.7%
The level of the axillary midline 82 10.7%
Intersection point where the mid-axillary line crosses the iliac crest 389 50.7%
9 Marked the zero reference level on the patient to improve the accuracy of measurement
Always 337 43.9%
Often 205 26.7%
Sometimes 99 12.9%
Occasionally 90 11.7%
Never 37 4.8%
10 Volume instilled into the bladder before measurement (ml)
≤ 25 457 59.5%
26 ~ 74 9.6%
51 ~ 158 20.6%
> 100 79 10.3%
11 Noticed the influence of temperature
Always 207 27%
Often 206 26.8%
Sometimes 131 17.1%
Occasionally 181 23.6
Never 43 5.6%
12 When to zero the pressure module?
Every time 589 76.7%
Every shift 140 18.2%
Every day 16 2.1%
Never 23 3%
13 How to deal with the effect of the positive end-expiratory pressure on IAP?
Never noticed the effect 80 10.4%
Noticed the effect, but do not know how to deal with 139 18.1%
Noticed the effect, recorded the positive end-expiratory pressure value 170 22.1%
Reduced the positive end-expiratory pressure to zero before reading the IAP value 146 19%
Temporarily disconnect the ventilator to read the IAP value 41 5.3%
Subtracted the positive end-expiratory pressure value from the read intra-abdominal pressure value 192 25%
14 Timing of reading the IAP value
Read the value at the end of exhalation 465 60.5%
Read the value at the end of inspiration 143 18.6%
Never noticed 160 20.8%
15 Waiting time after instillation (s)
< 15 147 19.1%
15 ~ 374 48.7%
30 ~ 117 15.2%
> 60 28 3.6%
Never noticed 102 13.3%

Note: IAP: Intra-abdominal Pressure