Mechanical ventilation is one of the most common therapies in the newborn intensive care
units. Nursing care for ventilator pediatric patients which include: review communications, check
ventilator settings and modes, suction appropriately, assess pain and sedation needs, prevent
infection, prevent hemodynamic instability, manage airway, meet patient nutritional needs, and
wean the pediatric patient from the ventilator appropriately, Aim of the present study was to
assess nurses' performance regarding care of children undergoing mechanical ventilation. Design:
descriptive research design was utilized in this study. Setting: the study was conducted at
neonatal and pediatric intensive care units at two of the general hospitals in Port-Said City -these
are El-Nasr General Hospital and Port-Foud General Hospital- and Suez Canal University
Hospital. Sample: Convenience sample, including all nurses (90) who work in the previous
mentioned hospitals and agreed to participate in the study. Tools for data collection: three tools:
A structured Questionnaire Sheet, Nurses' Attitude Questionnaire Sheet and Nurses'
Observational Checklist. Results: study revealed that less than half of studied nurses had
unsatisfactory level of knowledge regarding care of children undergoing mechanical ventilation
and more than half of nurses who had unsatisfactory level was found at university hospital,
whereas all of nurses had adequate level of practice and had positive attitudes regarding care of
children undergoing mechanical ventilation. Conclusion: The study concluded that there was a
highly statistically significant difference between the total score of knowledge and educational
level, place of work and work experience. Also the study reported that there was statistically
significant difference between total knowledge score and practice score. Recommendation: it is
recommended that nurses need for an educational programs about mechanical ventilation. The
study also recommends that need for practical oriented program including oropharyngeal,
nasopharyngeal suctioning, handwashing and documentation introduced for nurses.