Assessing Skin Tear Knowledge Among Nurses: A Multicentre Cross-Sectional Survey

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Wound Care
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Skin tears are a common and preventable adverse event in healthcare settings.
• Effective management and prevention of skin tears rely heavily on nurses' knowledge and skills.
• Assessing current knowledge levels is crucial for developing targeted educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the knowledge of nurses in Chinese hospitals concerning skin tear management and prevention.
• To identify demographic and professional factors influencing nurses' understanding of skin tears.
• To pinpoint areas requiring enhanced education and training for healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• A multicentre cross-sectional survey was conducted in China's Henan province.
• The Chinese version of the Skin Tear Knowledge Assessment Instrument (OASES) was administered online to 1675 clinical nurses.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, item-level analysis, and multiple linear regression.

Main Results:

• Older, female nurses demonstrated higher knowledge scores regarding skin tears.
• Factors such as department, education level, job title, and prior wound care courses significantly impacted knowledge.
• Working in intensive care units and higher education/job titles were independent predictors of better knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Significant knowledge gaps in skin tear management exist among nurses in Chinese hospitals.
• Targeted educational interventions and continuous professional development are necessary to improve nurses' expertise.
• Enhancing nurses' knowledge can lead to improved patient care quality and reduced skin tear incidence.