Nurses' knowledge of wound irrigation and pressures generated during simulated wound irrigation

Our objective was to describe nurses' knowledge of wound irrigation and their ability to produce appropriate irrigation pressures established by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) during simulated procedures.

A convenience sample of 28 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses from a university medical center in the Northwest United States comprised the subjects.

Participants were asked to complete a demographic data sheet and a questionnaire related to wound irrigation and to perform 2 simulated wound irrigations. The questionnaire developed for the study contained 9 questions about general knowledge of wound irrigation and 9 questions about wound irrigation technique. A device to measure the pressures generated by the participants during simulated wound irrigation was developed and calibrated using a transducer calibrated by the National Institute of Science and Technology.

Participants' scores were high on items querying general knowledge of wound irrigation but lower on questions relating to irrigation technique. Thirteen participants achieved irrigation pressures within the guidelines established by the AHRQ, 14 fell below the guidelines, and 1 produced pressures exceeding the guidelines.

The majority of nurses participating in this small study had some difficulty answering questions relating to wound irrigation technique. In addition, performance on simulated irrigation showed that the majority were not able to generate pressures in the recommended range. Nursing professionals and educators should be aware of these knowledge and performance issues and incorporate educational content and experiences in nursing programs designed to aid nurses in improving wound irrigation practice.