Pressure Ulcer Prevention: Knowledge, Attitude, and Care Performance among Nurses in a Tertiary Hospital in Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: A pressure Ulcer is a serious hospital-acquired complication with high global prevalence. Adequate knowledge and positive attitude of the nurses toward pressure ulcer prevention are vital for quality nursing care. This study aimed to assess the relationship of pressure ulcer preventionknowledge , attitude and care performance of the nurses in a tertiary hospital in Nepal. Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 155 nurses using a simple random sampling method. Self-administered questionnaires regarding pressure ulcer prevention knowledge and attitude developed by Beeckman D and Care performance on a 5-point Likert scale developed by Sau-Beul lee were used after pretesting confirmed internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.72). Data were collected from January to April 2025 after Ethical Approval (Ref. no. 65/081) from the IRC of Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences. Informed written consent was taken from the nurses. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 16. Results: This study found that nurses in a tertiary hospital in Nepal had inadequate knowledge and attitude toward pressure ulcer prevention. Nearly half of the nurses demonstrated inadequate knowledge and negative attitude regarding ulcer pressure prevention. About three-fifth of the nurses showed good care performance withmild to moderate positive correlation between knowledge, attitude and care performance. Conclusion: This study concluded the critical gap in knowledge, attitude and care performance among nurses regarding pressure ulcer prevention. It is recommended to urgent need for actions to strengthen nurses by continuing professional development, Pressure Ulcer Prevention protocols and clinical guideline for quality patient care.