Nurses’ Knowledge and Perceived Barriers to Carry Out Pressure Ulcer Prevention Measures for Hospitalized Patients

Background: Pressure ulcers, called pressure sores or bedsores, represent a significant medical concern characterized by localized skin and underlying soft tissue damage. Aim of the study: to assess nurses’ knowledge and perceived barriers to carry out pressure ulcer prevention measures for hospitalized patients. Design: A descriptive design Setting: The study was conducted at Sohag University Hospital. It encompassed all nurses in medical and surgical departments Sample: included all nursing staff (204) nurses who are working in medical and surgical departments. Tools: Two tools were used for data collection. Tool (I): Structured Interview Questionnaire sheet: This tool will consist of two parts: Part (I): Demographic data and Part (II): Knowledge assessment tool. Tool (II): Barriers to Carry out Pressure Ulcer Prevention. Results: In the study, over half (58.3%) of the nurses surveyed had moderate knowledge about pressure ulcers, while less than one-third (30.9%) had high knowledge and fewer than one-fifth (10.8%) had low knowledge. Additionally, nearly half (46.6%) experienced moderate barriers to implement prevention strategies, with one-third (33.3%) facing high barriers and one-fifth (20.1%) low barriers. Conclusion: The study's results indicated that most participants lacked training, and nurses did not recognize the significance of preventing pressure ulcers, heavy workload and inadequate staff, the lack of pressure-relieving materials and equipment in the workplace, with which to treat the injuries, were considered the main barriers to PU prevention. Recommendations: Nurses require additional continuing education, refresher courses, and training programs focused on the prevention of pressure ulcers