Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward the Medical Device-Related Pressure Ulcer in Iran

Abstract

Objective: Attitudes toward medical device-related pressure ulcers can affect the performance of nursing students in this regard. To date, no studies have examined nursing students' attitudes toward medical device-related pressure ulcers. Therefore, this study aimed to examine nursing students' attitudes toward medical device-related pressure ulcers. Methods: The present study was conducted in 2020 in Iran. The sample size was 187 nursing students who were in one of 5, 6, 7, or 8 semesters. To examine the nursing students' attitudes, a specific questionnaire was used. The questionnaire consists of 11 questions that assess the attitudes of nursing students toward medical device-related pressure in two dimensions of "prevention" and "care". The final score of this questionnaire ranged from 11 to 55. A higher score indicates a more positive attitude toward medical device-related pressure. Results: A total of 187 nursing students participated in the study. Eighty-eight participants (41.7%) reported that they received training on medical device-related pressure ulcers. A total of 163 participants (88%) reported that their training was not sufficient for medical device-related pressure ulcers. Out of the total, 155 students stated that they need to hold a training workshop on medical device-related pressure ulcers. The mean overall score of nursing students' attitudes toward medical device-related pressure ulcers was 42.1±5.2. The mean scores of prevention and care dimensions were 21.8 and 20.2, respectively. No significant relationship was found between the mean score of the overall attitude and the student's demographic variables (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that nursing students, despite insufficient education, exhibited a positive attitude toward the prevention and care of medical device-related pressure ulcers. However, further studies are needed in this regard with different settings.