Investigation of nurses' knowledge levels regarding medical device‐related pressure injuries: a cross-sectional and descriptive study

Introduction: Medical device-related pressure injuries are a major problem in healthcare systems because they negatively affect patient survival, prolong hospital stays and result in high healthcare costs. The objective of this study was to ascertain the extent of knowledge held by nurses regarding medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs). Methods: This study was designed and conducted as a descriptive cross-sectional study. The study included 237 nurses working in intensive care, internal and surgical clinics, emergency department and operating theatre in a hospital. The nurses completed " Descriptive Information Form" and "MDRPI Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire (MDRPI-KAT)." Results: The mean age of the nurses in the study was 32.02 ± 6.97 years. Most were female (75.9%), held undergraduate degrees (66.2%), worked in intensive care units (35.0%), had training on pressure injury prevention (67.9%), lacked training on medical device-related pressure injuries (64.1%), and had encountered pressure injuries (88.6%). The mean MDRPI-KAT score was 9.64±3.37, indicating an intermediate level. Significant differences in MDRPI-KAT scores were observed based on age, education, working unit, intensive care certification, pressure injury training, medical device-related training, prior experience, and care-giving status. It was observed that nurses who provided pressure injuries care had a higher total score on the MDRPI-KAT scale. It was observed that there was a statistically significant difference in the total score of the MDRPI-KAT scale and in the sub-dimensions of diagnosis and etiology, staging and observation, medical device selection and suitability, and skin assessment, and the knowledge level of those who received training was higher (p<0.001). Conclusion: It was observed that the level of knowledge of nurses about medical device-related pressure injuries was moderate and their training on the subject was inadequate. Therefore, it is recommended to provide facilities in working environments and all units for nurses to receive the necessary training.