Pressure ulcer prevention: evaluation of an education programme for Swedish nurses.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of an education programme for 20 registered nurses on the following three areas: nurses' knowledge of pressure ulcer risk and prevention; nursing documentation of ulcer prevention; routine use of prevention strategies.


METHODS
The study had a quasi-experimental design. Data were collected immediately before and after the education programme and at eight-month follow-up. To measure knowledge of pressure ulcer management, a questionnaire was distributed to course participants (n = 19) pre- and post-education. Nursing documentation (n = 138) was audited pre- and post-education. To gain information on the routine use of prevention strategies, head nurses (n = 20) were interviewed and the patients' care environment (n = 21) was observed pre-education, while a nurse questionnaire was completed (n = 15) at the eight-month follow-up.


RESULTS
In relation to pressure ulcer prevention, nurses' knowledge, documentation and ward routines were unsatisfactory before the education programme. However, the eight-month follow-up showed that 11 nurses (55%) had implemented new ward routines. Documentation was still lacking after the programme, although it was more detailed.


CONCLUSIONS
The education programme succeeded in encouraging and empowering the nurses to change clinical practice.
Gunningberg
L
L
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Section of Caring Sciences, Uppsala University and Surgical Centre, University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. lena.gunningberg@akademiska.se
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000592:standards; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015995:Prevalence; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden