[Education as a key piece in the prevention and good course of pressure ulcers]

To evaluate if an education program for the nursing staff helps to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers and prevent their poor evolution.

A prospective and observational study where the prevention and educational methods have been used to prevent and treat pressure ulcers. All patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit during one year were included (six months of basal period and six months of post-training period). The following variables were analyzed: incidence of Pressure Ulcers, risk score according to EMINA, ulcer grade and location.

A total of 134 ulcers were identified in the 69 patients (14.37%) with pressure ulcers included in the basal period. Forty-four patients (7.88%) of the patients in the post-training period developed 77 pressure ulcers. The significance level was p < 0.01, OR: 0.40 (95% CI: 0.26-0.62). Fifteen of the 211 pressure ulcers evolved to grade III-IV p > 0.20.

Conducting a training program in the application of standardized prevention methods for the nursing staff reduces the incidence of pressure ulcers.