ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Pressure injuries are the third most expensive condition after cancer and cardiovascular disease. Nurses are responsible for the direct and continuous care, treatment, and prevention of pressure injuries. To achieve optimal quality care, nursing knowledge and attitudes must be based on the best scientific evidence. This study aimed to examine the knowledge and attitudes of nurses working in intensive care units of hospitals affiliated with Zahedan Medical Sciences University regarding the prevention of pressure injuries.
METHODS: This was a descriptive analytic study involving 89 critical care nurses. Data analysis was conducted using a 3-part questionnaire: demographic data, knowledge, and attitudes of intensive care nurses toward the prevention of pressure injuries. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS version 19 (IBM, Armonk, New York), using descriptive and inferential statistics (such as Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t test, and analysis of variance).
RESULTS: The results showed that the mean +/- SD score of pressure injury knowledge was 0.44 +/- 0.12, and the attitude of participants toward pressure injury prevention was 2.69 +/- 0.47. Scores varied widely; "nutrition" showed the highest mean score (0.71 +/- 0.45), but "etiology and development" (0.42 +/- 0.21) and "classification and observation" (0.42 +/- 0.24) showed the lowest mean scores. Of the different aspects of attitudes toward pressure injury prevention, "the impact of pressure injuries" showed the highest mean score (2.95 +/- 0.56), and "confidence in the effectiveness of prevention" showed the lowest mean score (2.56 +/- 0.46). A statistically significant relationship was observed between pressure injury knowledge and attitudes toward pressure injury prevention (P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: Pressure injury prevention is one of many nursing care priorities and is a key indicator of the quality of nursing care. In order to achieve optimal quality care in this area, nurse managers and other administrators should make efforts to improve nursing knowledge and attitudes based on the latest scientific evidence for pressure injury prevention.