Factors Affecting Nurses’ Compliance in Preventing Pressure Ulcer Among Hospitalized Patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital

Arwa Al-Ghamdi

doi:10.11648/j.ajns.20170605.13

Abstract

Prevention of pressure ulcers is an indicator of quality of care. Nursing care has a major effect on pressure ulcer development and prevention. Hence, many people believe that most pressure ulcers are preventable if the appropriate interventions are implemented. The study aimed to assess factors affecting nursing compliance in preventing pressure ulcer. Descriptive correlation design was used which is a type of non-experimental design to collect data from medical, surgical units and the critical cardiac unit at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah city. Purposive sampling technique was carried out to select 113 nurses and 113 patients. Data were collected by three tools, tool 1 is a structured questionnaire divided into 2 parts, included demographic data and list of barriers facing nurses in preventing pressure ulcer, tool 2 is an observational checklist and tool 3 is the Waterlow pressure ulcer risk assessment tool. The study concluded that there is significant correlation between barriers and nursing compliance in prevention pressure ulcer. Heavy workload/staff shortage is considered as the most barriers facing nurses’ compliance regarding prevention pressure ulcer. The study recommended that the managers should review nurses’ workload which the findings of this study have shown to be a major barrier in the priority given to the prevention of pressure ulcers.

Highlights

Pressure ulcers are identified worldwide as one of the five most common causes of harm to patients, as well as generally preventable patient safety problem [7]
Nurse’s compliance in preventing pressure ulcer In regard to nurse’s performance of the Waterlow scale for all levels of risk in table 2, the findings showed that more than 2/3 of the nurses' responses (67.50%) had complied with the requirements of the Waterlow scale
The finding of this study disagrees with Vanderwee et al (2007) which revealed that 18 out of 78 nurses had no official training on pressure ulcer prevention and that 43 of the nurses admitted to not knowing how to use risk assessment [31]

Summary

Introduction

Pressure ulcers are identified worldwide as one of the five most common causes of harm to patients, as well as generally preventable patient safety problem [7]. Throughout recent decades, various efforts have been undertaken to improve pressure ulcer prevention in clinical practice, mostly through implementation of evidence-based guidelines [20], [24], [26]. Nurses still comply poorly with clinical rules in regards with pressure ulcer prevention. Lack of knowledge and skills, and negative attitudes in pressure ulcer prevention contributes significantly to the occurrence or worsening of pressure ulcer [23]. Several studies revealed that shortage of supplies for pressure ulcer prevention and shortages of human resource for health, nurses, were the most cited barriers to carrying out appropriate pressure ulcer management [17], [14]. Nursing care in relation to pressure ulcers is lacking adequate pressure ulcer documentation, risk assessment, training, and prevention and treatment guidelines [30]

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