[Current situation and demand for specialized development of allergy nursing in eighty-eight hospitals in Guangdong...

To investigate the current situation and demand for specialized development of allergy nursing in 88 hospitals in Guangdong Province, as well as to provide evidence for the management of allergy nursing. From August to December 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the core managers of allergy nursing-related work in eighty-eight hospitals in Guangdong Province supported by the Allergy Nursing Branch of the Guangdong Nurses Association and the Nursing Group of the Allergy Branch of the Guangdong Medical Association. An online survey was conducted using the Delphi method to compile a questionnaire on the current status and demand for specialized development of allergy nursing in Guangdong Province. Chi-square tests and Fisher's exact probability method were used to analyze the differences in the current status of specialty technology applications and the development and demand of specialized nursing between hospitals with or without allergy specialty departments. The results showed that among the eighty-eight hospitals in the nineteen prefecture-level cities surveyed in Guangdong Province, 17 hospitals (19%) had established allergy specialty departments, all of which were top-tier tertiary hospitals. The establishment duration [M (Q₁, Q₃)] was 3 (1, 10) years. The implementation rates of skin prick test (94%, 16/17), in-vitro examination (82%, 14/17), nasal endoscopy (82%, 14/17), subcutaneous specific immunotherapy (82%, 14/17), multidisciplinary consultation (65%, 11/17), fractional exhaled nitric oxide detection (47%, 8/17), skin patch test (41%, 7/17), and autologous serum skin test (35%, 6/17) in hospitals with allergy department were higher than those in hospitals without allergy department [59%, 42/71 (χ7.462, P=0.006)], [54%, 38/71 (χ4.717, P=0.030)], [51%, 36/71 (χ5.599, P=0.018)], [34%, 24/71 (χ13.177, P<0.001)], [24%, 17/71 (χ10.505, P=0.001)], [24%, 17/71 (χ5.540, P=0.019)], [11%, 8/71 (Fisher's exact test, P=0.008)], [11%, 8/71 (Fisher's exact test, P=0.025)]. In the development plan of allergy nursing in the next two years, hospitals that had set up allergy departments had a higher proportion in adding nurses (82%, 14/17, χ13.177, P<0.001), formulating specialized nurse training plans (71%, 12/17, χ3.980, P=0.046), formulating group standards or clinical guidelines (41%, 7/17, Fisher's exact test, P=0.046), and formulating assessment standards (53%, 9/17, Fisher's exact test, P=0.002). The demand for all aspects of allergy specialty nursing knowledge and skills accounted for more than 50%, and it was not related to whether the hospital set up an allergy department. In conclusion, the specialized development of allergy nursing in Guangdong province is still in its early stages, and there is a great demand for improving knowledge and skills in allergy. Further standardization of specialty construction is needed, along with the training of allergic nurses, to promote the comprehensive development of allergic reaction nursing specialties from point to area.