Intensive Care and Operating Room Nurses' Knowledge Regarding Skin Tears

Skin tears are a prevalent but often under-recognised type of injury in clinical settings, particularly affecting vulnerable patients in intensive care and surgical environments.

The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge levels of nurses working in operating rooms and intensive care units regarding skin tears.

This descriptive study was conducted between December 2024 and April 2025 with 81 intensive care and 76 operating room nurses at a training and research hospital. The study data were collected face-to-face using a descriptive characteristics form, the Skin Tear Knowledge Assessment Instrument (OASES). The data were analysed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation, were calculated. Additionally, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA and regression analysis were performed.

The response rate of nurses who responded to the survey was 80.5%. The mean age of intensive care and operating room nurses was 31.2 ± 5.46 and 35.6 ± 8.57 years, respectively. The mean OASES score (range: 0-20, with higher scores indicating greater knowledge) of operating room nurses was 11.15 ± 4.84 out of 20, and that of intensive care nurses was 10.12 ± 6.25. The OASES scores of nurses who worked in the relevant unit for ≥ 7 years or more, who had a master's degree, who considered themselves competent, who had previously cared for patients with skin tears and who had received training were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05). In addition, the linear regression analysis found that education status and clinical experience had a positive and significant effect on the OASES score (p < 0.001).

This study demonstrated that nurses' knowledge of skin tears was suboptimal relative to the maximum possible score. It also revealed that nurses' experience in clinical units and their education levels were important variables affecting their knowledge of skin tears.

Determining the knowledge of nurses about skin tears in critical areas such as intensive care and operating rooms helps to identify deficiencies affecting patient care in these areas.