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Knowledge and attitudes of nurses on pressure ulcer prevention: a cross-sectional multicenter study in Belgian hospitals

Knowledge and attitudes of nurses on pressure ulcer prevention: a cross-sectional multicenter study in Belgian hospitals
Knowledge and attitudes of nurses on pressure ulcer prevention: a cross-sectional multicenter study in Belgian hospitals
Background: Evidence-based guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention have been developed and promoted by authoritative organizations. However, nonadherence to these guidelines is frequently reported. Negative attitudes and lack of knowledge may act as barriers to using guidelines in clinical practice.

Aims: To study the knowledge and attitudes of nurses about pressure ulcer prevention in Belgian hospitals and to explore the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and the application of adequate prevention.

Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in a random sample of 14 Belgian hospitals, representing 207 wards. Out of that group, 94 wards were randomly selected (2105 patients). Clinical observations were performed to assess the adequacy of pressure ulcer prevention and pressure ulcer prevalence. From each participating ward, a random selection of at least five nurses completed an extensively validated knowledge and attitude instrument. In total, 553 nurses participated. A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and the application of adequate prevention.

Results: Pressure ulcer prevalence (Category I-IV) was 13.5% (284/2105). Approximately 30% (625/2105) of the patients were at risk (Bradenscore <17 and/or presence of pressure ulcer). Only 13.9% (87/625) of these patients received fully adequate prevention whilst in bed and when seated. The mean knowledge and attitude scores were 49.7% and 71.3%, respectively. The application of adequate prevention on a nursing ward was significantly correlated with the attitudes of the nurses (OR = 3.07, p = .05). No independent correlation was found between knowledge and the application of adequate prevention (OR = 0.75, p = .71).

Conclusions: Knowledge of nurses in Belgian hospitals about the prevention of pressure ulcers is inadequate. The attitudes of nurses toward pressure ulcers are significantly correlated with the application of adequate prevention. No correlation was found between knowledge and the application of adequate prevention.
attitude, knowledge, nursing, pressure ulcer prevention, guidelines, hospital, prevalence, correlation
1545-102X
166-176
Beeckman, Dimitri
1ead183b-0e82-4b3f-864b-8dfc2e58de3e
Defloor, Tom
51beda91-f7d4-48c0-adb1-491e6f1c6492
Schoonhoven, Lisette
46a2705b-c657-409b-b9da-329d5b1b02de
Vanderwee, Katrien
1c6abcaa-589e-4453-a61a-d65926b37ab4
Beeckman, Dimitri
1ead183b-0e82-4b3f-864b-8dfc2e58de3e
Defloor, Tom
51beda91-f7d4-48c0-adb1-491e6f1c6492
Schoonhoven, Lisette
46a2705b-c657-409b-b9da-329d5b1b02de
Vanderwee, Katrien
1c6abcaa-589e-4453-a61a-d65926b37ab4

Beeckman, Dimitri, Defloor, Tom, Schoonhoven, Lisette and Vanderwee, Katrien (2011) Knowledge and attitudes of nurses on pressure ulcer prevention: a cross-sectional multicenter study in Belgian hospitals. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 8 (3), 166-176. (doi:10.1111/j.1741-6787.2011.00217.x). (PMID:21401859)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Evidence-based guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention have been developed and promoted by authoritative organizations. However, nonadherence to these guidelines is frequently reported. Negative attitudes and lack of knowledge may act as barriers to using guidelines in clinical practice.

Aims: To study the knowledge and attitudes of nurses about pressure ulcer prevention in Belgian hospitals and to explore the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and the application of adequate prevention.

Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in a random sample of 14 Belgian hospitals, representing 207 wards. Out of that group, 94 wards were randomly selected (2105 patients). Clinical observations were performed to assess the adequacy of pressure ulcer prevention and pressure ulcer prevalence. From each participating ward, a random selection of at least five nurses completed an extensively validated knowledge and attitude instrument. In total, 553 nurses participated. A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and the application of adequate prevention.

Results: Pressure ulcer prevalence (Category I-IV) was 13.5% (284/2105). Approximately 30% (625/2105) of the patients were at risk (Bradenscore <17 and/or presence of pressure ulcer). Only 13.9% (87/625) of these patients received fully adequate prevention whilst in bed and when seated. The mean knowledge and attitude scores were 49.7% and 71.3%, respectively. The application of adequate prevention on a nursing ward was significantly correlated with the attitudes of the nurses (OR = 3.07, p = .05). No independent correlation was found between knowledge and the application of adequate prevention (OR = 0.75, p = .71).

Conclusions: Knowledge of nurses in Belgian hospitals about the prevention of pressure ulcers is inadequate. The attitudes of nurses toward pressure ulcers are significantly correlated with the application of adequate prevention. No correlation was found between knowledge and the application of adequate prevention.

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Published date: September 2011
Keywords: attitude, knowledge, nursing, pressure ulcer prevention, guidelines, hospital, prevalence, correlation
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 339207
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/339207
ISSN: 1545-102X
PURE UUID: 7ace5204-1074-4ad8-8a7b-94eb02f6c5a2
ORCID for Lisette Schoonhoven: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-7129-3766

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Date deposited: 25 May 2012 09:24
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:41

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Author: Dimitri Beeckman
Author: Tom Defloor
Author: Katrien Vanderwee

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