Factors Associated with Nurses' Perceived Competence in Pressure Injury Care in a Tertiary Hospital in Yunnan, China

Abstract

Objective To assess nurses' perceived competence in pressure injury (PI) care and explore the association between perceived competence and nurses' backgrounds, knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy in PI care. Methods This study used a descriptive correlational design. During January and February 2021, the authors sent an online questionnaire to 117 nurses caring for patients with or at risk of PI at a tertiary level hospital in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, to collect information regarding demographics, knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and perceived competence in PI care. Univariate and multiple regressions were performed to assess the associations. Results A total of 111 completed questionnaires were obtained, a response rate of 94.9%. Nurses reported inadequate knowledge and relatively low self-efficacy in PI care. However, they had positive attitudes and acceptable levels of perceived competence in PI care. According to a univariate analysis, being a wound specialist, having read PI-related articles or practice guideline within the past year, and having knowledge and self-efficacy in PI care were associated with nurses' perceived competence. Conclusions Pressure injury-related knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy are independently associated with nurses' perception of their competency in PI care.