Assessing Pressure Injury Knowledge Using the Pieper-Zulkowski Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Test

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety
• Wound Care Research

Background:

• Pressure injuries represent a significant challenge in healthcare settings.
• Effective knowledge dissemination among healthcare professionals is crucial for preventing pressure injuries.
• Existing educational interventions require evaluation to ensure knowledge acquisition and retention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an interactive educational intervention on healthcare professionals' knowledge of pressure injuries.
• To quantify changes in pressure injury knowledge before and after the intervention.
• To validate the effectiveness of the Pieper-Zulkowski Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Test (PZ-PUKT) in measuring knowledge deficits.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest design was employed in Manila, Philippines.
• Participants included healthcare professionals attending a 2-day Basic WoundPedia course.
• The 72-item PZ-PUKT, assessing prevention, staging, and wounds, was administered before and after the educational content.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase in pressure injury knowledge scores was observed post-intervention.
• The educational intervention successfully improved knowledge across all three subscales: prevention, staging, and wounds.
• Participants demonstrated enhanced understanding of pressure injury concepts following the course.

Conclusions:

• Interactive educational interventions are effective in improving healthcare professionals' pressure injury knowledge.
• Pre- and post-intervention assessments are valuable for identifying and correcting knowledge deficits.
• The PZ-PUKT is a useful tool for adult learners to self-assess and update their knowledge on pressure injury prevention and management.