A dedicated wound care module for third-year baccalaureate nurses: does it increase their knowledge and confidence?

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Wound Management

Background:

• Wound care is a significant nursing responsibility with identified barriers to evidence-based practice.
• Nursing students require enhanced education in wound care, yet dedicated modules are infrequent in baccalaureate programs.
• Existing blended learning approaches show potential but lack specific focus on comprehensive wound care education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase third-year baccalaureate nursing students' confidence and knowledge in evidence-based wound care.
• To evaluate the impact of a dedicated wound care module on nursing students' skills.
• To address the need for specialized wound care training within undergraduate nursing curricula.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive pre-post research design was employed.
• A dedicated wound care module utilizing a constructivist learning approach was implemented within a baccalaureate nursing course in Australia.
• Pre- and post-implementation surveys were administered to assess changes in student knowledge and confidence.

Main Results:

• Positive outcomes included increased confidence in wound assessment, management, and prevention.
• Students demonstrated improved ability to apply evidence-based practice and change management principles.
• The module positively impacted knowledge of evidence-based wound management, assessment, and prevention.

Conclusions:

• Implementing a dedicated wound care module fostered positive changes in nursing students' knowledge and skills.
• This educational intervention is vital for equipping future registered nurses with essential wound care competencies.
• Baccalaureate nursing education should prioritize comprehensive wound care training for improved patient outcomes.