References
Nurses' knowledge and practice in preventing pressure injuries in intensive care units
Abstract
Objective:
Globally, pressure injuries (PIs) are an important problem affecting healthcare institutions and patients. Nurses in multidisciplinary teams, play a crucial role in preventing PIs. Nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs) provide care to patients who are at risk of developing PIs. The aim of this study was to ascertain the knowledge and practices of intensive care nurses in preventing PIs, and to highlight the relationship between this knowledge and the prevalence of PIs.
Method:
This study used a descriptive and correlational design. It was carried out in the level 3 ICU of a university hospital in Kayseri, Turkey. A total of four instruments were used at the data collection stage: a nurse information form; the PI prevention knowledge assessment instrument; PI prevention practices; and a PI Prevalence Form.
Results:
The population of the study consisted of 111 nurses, 91 (82%) of whom fully participated. The mean score of the nurses' knowledge in preventing PIs was found to be 43.2±11.4%. The most common answer regarding the clinical use of PI prevention practices was: ‘always applied’. There was no relationship between PI prevalence and PI prevention knowledge scores of the ICU nurses.
Conclusion:
In this study, it was observed that although nurses reported incorporating PI prevention practices in ICUs, their related knowledge level was insufficient.
Pressure injuries (PIs) continue to be an important problem affecting healthcare institutions and patients globally, despite developments in the field of health, continuous training, as well as the publication of evidence-based practice guidelines.1 Apart from increased hospital stays, cost of care, and mortality and morbidity rates, PIs negatively affect patient quality of life by causing pain and discomfort, as well as psychosocial problems, such as anxiety, loss of independence and social isolation.1,2,3,4,5 In a meta-analysis, it was reported that the PI prevalence in hospitalised adult patients (surgical, medical, and ICU patients combined) was 12.8%.6 It is suspected that the prevalence of PIs in ICUs is, in fact, higher, as PI prevalence in adults in ICUs has been reported to be between 16.9 and 23.8%.7
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