International Journal of Innovative Research in Health Science

Background: Craniotomy is a major neurosurgical intervention, and caregivers have a crucial role in maintaining postoperative care and reducing complications after discharge. This study assessed the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme in improving caregivers’ knowledge re-garding postoperative craniotomy care. Methods: A quantitative evaluative research approach using a one-group pretest-posttest design was con-ducted among 30 caregivers of postoperative craniotomy patients admitted to the postoperative ward of Sudha Institute of Medical Sciences, Erode, Tamil Nadu. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were gathered using a semi-structured interview schedule with a maxi-mum possible knowledge score of 40. Following the pretest, caregivers received a structured teaching programme addressing essential aspects of postoperative craniotomy care. A posttest was conducted one week later. Results: During the pretest, 25 (83%) caregivers demonstrated inadequate knowledge, 5 (17%) had moderate knowledge, and none had adequate knowledge. Following the intervention, 22 (73%) caregivers achieved ade-quate knowledge, while 8 (27%) demonstrated moderate knowledge and none remained in the inadequate category. The mean knowledge score increased from 9.13 (22.8%) before the programme to 28.5 (71.25%) after the programme. The paired t-value was 18.9, indicating a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05). Pretest knowledge was significantly associated with primary caregiver, age, sex, educational status, and previous family history of craniotomy. Conclusion: The structured teaching programme was effective in enhancing caregivers’ knowledge of postoperative craniotomy care .