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Practice versus knowledge when it comes to pressure ulcer prevention
B Provo1, L Piacentine, S Dean-Baar
1Sinai Samaritan Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Summary
Nursing staff knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention remained consistent, but documentation of care plans significantly improved after an educational intervention. The study assessed pressure ulcer prevalence and prevention practices.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Research
- Patient Safety
- Evidence-Based Practice
Background:
- Pressure ulcers represent a significant patient safety concern.
- Effective prevention strategies rely on accurate nursing knowledge and consistent documentation.
- Assessing current practices is crucial for identifying areas for improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate nursing staff knowledge regarding pressure ulcer prevention.
- To assess the prevalence of pressure ulcers and identify documentation patterns.
- To determine the impact of an educational intervention on knowledge and documentation.
Main Methods:
- A pre-post intervention study design was employed.
- Nursing staff completed knowledge surveys (Bostrom's Patient Skin Integrity Survey).
- Patient data included Braden Scale scores, skin breakdown presence, and documentation review.
Main Results:
- No significant change in nursing staff knowledge was observed post-intervention.
- A statistically significant improvement in the documentation of care plans for pressure ulcer prevention was noted.
- Patient prevalence of pressure ulcers or those at risk did not significantly change.
Conclusions:
- Nursing staff possessed current knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention aligned with guidelines.
- The educational session enhanced the documentation of pressure ulcer prevention and treatment.
- While documentation improved, a direct correlation to practice change requires further investigation.