title: How accurate are RGNs in grading pressure ulcers?
abstract: This study investigated the level of accuracy with which qualified nurses grade pressure ulcers. The sample of the study was 52 registered general nurses (RGNs) who worked at an acute NHS Trust. The study was conducted as a series of workshops in which questionnaires were administered before and after an educational programme on the theory and practice of grading pressure ulcers. The instrument of measure was a set of 20 photographs of various grades of pressure ulcers and incontinence lesions. At the end of the data collection process 52 sets of data were available and included for analysis (n=52). The level of accuracy of the RGNs in grading pressure ulcers was poor in the pre-test. Although it improved markedly at the post-test, the overall performance of the group remained less than satisfactory (between 80-100% correct answers). In the post-test, only 4 out of the 52 (7.7%) RGNs achieved a level of accuracy between 75% to 95%. The limitation of the study means that caution is needed in making inferences of the findings beyond this sample of nurses. However, the study's findings do give some indication of the level of accuracy of pressure ulcer grading within the Trust concerned. A larger scale study is needed if a more reliable picture on the accuracy of pressure ulcer grading by RGNs is to be achieved.
authors.affiliation: Guildford and Waverley PCT.
authors.forename: Shiu-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Briggs
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education*; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013222:State Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom