Getting wound care right: evaluation of a week of intensive teaching on wound care for undergraduate nursing students

Exploring nurses' experiences in pressure sore care in long-term care facilities

BACKGROUND

This study uses an interpretive description approach to explore nurses' experiences with pressure sore care in long-term care facilities, highlighting the complexity of their encounters.

METHODS

10 experienced nurses from South Korean small to medium-sized hospitals were chosen via purposive sampling for interviews. Data analysis utilized Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The study's findings collectively reflect the intricate journey of nurses in Long-term care facilities as they grapple with the challenges of pressure sore care. These nurses transform their perception of pressure sores, encountering a dynamic shift in their understanding. They face multifaceted challenges in providing optimal care, marked by resource constraints and the absence of standardized guidelines. Emotionally, they navigate a complex terrain of sentiments, oscillating between feelings of accomplishment and helplessness. Despite these hurdles, they persistently strive for excellence in pressure sore nursing, driven by an unwavering commitment to delivering the best possible care within the confines of their healthcare environment.

CONCLUSION

The study enhances understanding of pressure sore care in long-term facilities and suggests avenues for improving nursing practices and care quality through targeted interventions.

Identifying Barriers to the Acquisition of Knowledge about Skin Integrity Impairment in Nursing Students: An Educational Intervention

BACKGROUND

Wound healing competence is implied in the nursing profession, but there is no standardized content regulation for wound care in university curricula. The primary objective of this study was to identify the barriers to the acquisition of knowledge about skin integrity impairment.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test study with an ad hoc questionnaire involved 304 students (control: 165; intervention: 139) from June to July 2023. A 10-h educational intervention focused on skin integrity assessment and treatment was conducted.

RESULTS

The control group, scoring 17 ± 0.22 out of a maximum of 61, achieved a significantly lower final test score (p < 0.001) compared to the wound care educational intervention group, with the pre-test group scoring 30 ± 0.76 and the post-test group scoring 43 ± 0.61. The educational intervention in wound care program improved nursing students' knowledge of prevention, assessment/diagnosis, treatment, lower limb wounds, and wound bed preparation by replacing the number of "Don't know" answers in the post-test group with correct answers.

CONCLUSIONS

The barriers identified to the acquisition of knowledge about skin integrity impairment in nursing studies are the following: the transversality of teaching, the teaching and evaluation system, and the variability in the training of professionals and teachers in charge of their education. The educational intervention can be used to consolidate knowledge and to enhance students' self-confidence in caring for patients with wounds.