"Effects of educational interventions on nursing professionals’ knowledge and practice and on the incidence of pressure ulcer at an Intensive Therapy Center" / "Efeitos de intervenções educativas no conhecimento e práticas de profissionais de enfermagem e na incidência de úlcera de pressão em centro de terapia intensiva"

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

The development of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients is a large health problem that involves various patient and environment-related factors. Evidence-based practice is an effective proposal for the adoption of clinical practice measures that promote improvements in health care quality. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of educational interventions on nursing professionals’ knowledge at an intensive therapy center, on the prevention measures used in their clinical practice and on pressure ulcer incidence rates, as well as patients’ risk factors and the adequacy of the nursing team’s actions. The study was carried out at the Intensive Therapy Center (ITC) of a large tertiary-care university hospital in the interior of São Paulo State. The methodological course was constructed in view of the innovation adoption curve proposed by Rogers. Educational interventions were realized involving the nursing team, with a view to convincing them to adopt innovations to prevent pressure ulcers, based on evidences. In order to assess the effects of educational interventions, we conducted three studies in the pre-intervention phase, which were repeated after the intervention. In the first study, we aimed to identify nursing team professionals’ knowledge about pressure ulcers and prevention measures, using an instrument with closed questions. In the second study, we identified the clinical practice the nursing team adopted to prevent pressure ulcer, using non-participant observation. The third study was aimed at identifying pressure ulcer incidence levels in patients hospitalized at the ITC and related risk factors. Results demonstrated that the educational intervention influenced nursing team professionals’ knowledge and some clinical practice aspects related to preventive care, but did not affect pressure ulcer incidence levels, which corresponded to 62.5% in the pre- and post-intervention phases. We studied the Braden Score, the Glasgow Scale and hospitalization times as variables associated with the development of pressure ulcers. Nurses participated little in basic hygiene care and patient assessment. Both nurses and education programs should give more attention to some important points. These are: basic hygiene care; intensification of preventive care, especially patient mobilization; adoption of risk assessment instruments for the development of pressure ulcer; realization of periodical education programs focused on prevention and adoption of problem-monitoring strategies. In view of aspects of pressure ulcer prevention, a discerning and high-quality practice should be prioritized, using strategies that can involve the institution and the multidisciplinary team active at the institution.

ASSUNTO(S)

cuidados intensivos pressure ulcer úlcera de pressão practice guidelines diretrizes para a prática clínica intensive care

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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