Background: Tube thoracostomy is a life-saving implementation for patients
presenting with pneumothorax, effusions and hemothorax. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate
influence of care protocol on nurses' performance and clinical outcomes for patients with tube
thoracostomy. Design: A quasi experimental design. Setting: The study was conducted at chest
intensive care unit at Ain Shams University Hospitals. Sample: A convenient sample of all available
nurses (30 nurses) from the previous mentioned settings willing to participate in the study and a
purposive sample of 50 patients with tube thoracostomy divided into two groups: study & control
group (25 patients in each group). Tools of data collection: I-Nurses' performance assessment
tool (demographic characteristics of nurses, nurses' knowledge questionnaire and nurses' practice
observational checklist) II-Clinical outcomes assessment tool. Results: Concerning nurses' level
of performance (knowledge and practice) regarding tube thoracostomy care pre and post
implementation of care protocol, there were statistically significant differences between mean
scores of the pre and post-tests. Regarding clinical outcomes for patients with tube
thoracostomy, there were statistically significant differences between control group and study group
all over the variables of outcomes. Conclusion: Application of care protocol for patient with
tube thoracostomy has a positive influence on nurses' performance; and consequently had a
positive influence in refinement the outcomes for patients in the study group rather than the
control group with a statistically significant difference. Recommendations: Importance of
presence of care protocol related to care of patients with tube thoracostomy and further
researches should be done to assess and evaluate the clinical outcomes for patients with tube
thoracostomy.