Educational Needs of Intensive Care Unit Nurses Regarding Medical Device-Related Pressure Injuries: A Cross-Sectional...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Patient Safety
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs) are a significant concern in intensive care units (ICUs).
• Inadequate prevention, detection, or management of MDRPIs can lead to patient harm.
• Device-specific education for ICU nurses is vital for evidence-based MDRPI prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the perceived educational needs of ICU nurses concerning MDRPIs.
• To analyze these needs based on clinical experience levels.
• To identify specific domain- and content-related educational gaps for different medical devices.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to 94 ICU nurses in South Korea.
• The questionnaire covered demographics, prior MDRPI education, and perceived learning needs across eight domains.
• Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and qualitative content analysis for device-specific needs.

Main Results:

• 68.1% of nurses received general pressure injury education, but only 59.4% had MDRPI-specific training.
• Nurses with 10+ years of experience reported higher educational needs in assessment and documentation compared to less experienced nurses.
• Identified educational gaps were most prominent for nasogastric tubes, respiratory devices, and endotracheal tubes, with 76 domain-specific needs identified.

Conclusions:

• ICU nurses report significant unmet educational needs in MDRPI assessment, prevention, and management, particularly concerning specific devices.
• The higher learning needs among experienced nurses indicate that current educational strategies may not fully address critical care MDRPI prevention.
• Integrating device-focused, scenario-based MDRPI education into professional development programs is recommended to improve clinical judgment, reduce injuries, and enhance patient safety.