Researcher Mona Sayel Fares, a student in the Master's Program in Adult Nursing at the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the Arab American University, has defended her thesis titled: "Nurses' Knowledge and Awareness of Postoperative Wound Care for Open Heart Surgery Patients in Hospitals in the North West Bank - Palestine".

The study aimed to assess nurses' knowledge and awareness of postoperative wound care for open heart surgery patients in hospitals in the North West Bank – Palestine. As for the methodology, a descriptive quantitative correlational cross-sectional study was conducted in the departments of the surgical intensive care unit in five hospitals in the North West Bank. A total of 87 surgical intensive care unit nurses participated in the study. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire to assess nurses' knowledge (22 questions) and awareness (17 points) of postoperative wound care. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23, using descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, T-tests, analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation to analyze the data.

According to the results, nurses had a high level of knowledge, but only a moderate level of awareness. Significant differences in knowledge and awareness were observed according to age, gender, marital status, education level, and experience, among other demographic and professional variables. Awareness was less consistent, training and availability of explicit protocols were associated with better knowledge levels. The results highlight the value of specialized education, real-world experience, and encouraging work environments in improving nursing practice. As for conclusions, nurses in hospitals in the northern West Bank have solid basic knowledge but show varying levels of awareness regarding postoperative wound care for open-heart surgery patients. Continuing education, specialized training, and the development of clear, evidence-based protocols are essential to enhance knowledge and awareness, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and reduced incidence of surgical site infections in the region.

The thesis was supervised by Dr. Abdullah Al Wawi and the examination committee included Dr. Rebhi Bsharat and Dr. Imad Abu Khader.