Effect of mothers' empowerment guildelines about caring for children with cast on their knowledge and children selected outcomes

Casts are used to keep the bones and soft tissues lined up and protected while they are 
healing. A cast wraps completely around the arm or leg and is custom-made for the 
patient. It can only be taken off with a specialized cast saw. Casts also protect wounds 
after surgery while it heals. The hard, immobile part of most custom made casts is 
made from plaster or fiberglass. Aim of the study: evaluate the effect of mothers' 
empowerment guidelines about caring for children with cast on their knowledge and 
children selected outcomes. Research Design: Pre-posttest quasi-experimental 
research design will be used to fulfill the current study's goal. Setting: The current 
study was conducted at the orthopedic surgical unit and pediatric orthopedic 
outpatient clinic at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital (CUSPH). 
Participants: A purposive sample of 60 mothers whose children with cast, divided 
equally to study and control groups. Data collection tools: Structured Interview 
Questionnaire, Mother's Knowledge & Practices Assessment Sheet, and Post Cardiac 
Catheterization Assessment Record were used. Results: There was a significant 
statistical difference in the total mean scores for children's outcomes between both 
groups, as well as, in the mean scores for mothers' knowledge and practice between 
before and after empowerment guidelines implementation. Conclusion: there was a 
significant increase in knowledge and reported practice in caring for children with 
cast following empowerment guidelines. Moreover, children of mothers who received 
empowerment guidance had better cast's outcomes. Recommendation: Extensive 
prospective randomized studies required to enhance outcomes.