Impact of tailored training about pressure injuries on nurses' knowledge levels and pressure injury point prevalence: the case of Turkey

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the impact of tailored training provided to nurses for preventing pressure injuries (PIs) on nurses' knowledge levels and the PI point prevalence (PP). Materials and methods: This interventional study was carried out in a university hospital with a bed capacity of 1114 in an urban center in Turkey. Ethics committee approval (28.06.2018/31) and institutional permission were obtained for the study, in addition to the nurses' written, informed consent. The study was completed in three stages. In the first stage an initial PP study was conducted in the clinics with the participation of the nurses and the members of the research team (n = 422 patients). In the second stage the knowledge levels of 194 nurses were measured before training was given on following-up and preventing PIs. The nurses then participated in the tailored training and their knowledge levels were re-measured afterwards. All the nurses were given individual advice related to the prevention of PIs for 30 days after they had completed the training. In the third stage a second PP study was conducted four months after the first PP study (n = 454 patients). The data were collected using the Pressure Injury Prevalence Form, the Braden Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Tool and the Knowledge Level Measurement Form. Descriptive values, the paired samples t-test, Pearson's chi-squared test and Fisher's Exact test were used to evaluate the data. Results: The nurses' pretest mean knowledge score was 55.36% +/- 14.40 and their posttest mean score was 69.92% +/- 9.73. The difference between these scores was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The study found no significant difference between the first PP ratio and the second PP ratio (p > 0.05), and the nurses were better able to evaluate skin and PIs after the training. Conclusion: The study determined that the tailored training given to the nurses increased their knowledge; however, it had no impact on the PP after four months. It is recommended that any training programs using this model be continued and that PP studies of institutions be conducted annually.