Pressure Ulcer Preventive Measures Utilized and Its Perceived Effectiveness Among Nurses in Selected Hospitals in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND Pressure ulcers represent a largely preventable patient safety issue, serving as an indicator of nursing care quality and patient safety within healthcare settings. This study aimed to assess the utilization and effectiveness of pressure ulcer preventive measures among nurses in selected hospitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS This descriptive cross-sectional survey involved 304 nurses purposefully selected from surgical wards/units in the chosen hospitals. A well-structured, pretested questionnaire with a reliability index of 0.842 was employed for data collection. Descriptive statistics, including mean, frequency, and percentage, were used for data analysis. RESULTS Findings indicated that risk assessment (mean 3.67±0.56) was the most frequently used preventive measure, followed by skin repositioning every 2 hours (3.46±0.71), use of barrier creams (3.35±0.71), and the utilization of pressure-relieving devices such as air beds (3.33±0.75). Prophylactic sacral dressing (3.14±0.76) and massaging of bony prominences (3.17±0.86) were also commonly employed. The most effective measures were risk assessment (mean 2.66±0.5), repositioning every 2 hours (2.56±0.54), and skin assessment (2.54±0.54). Barriers to preventive measures included limited equipment (3.31±0.96), nursing shortages (3.12±0.77), lack of skill/training (3.09±0.85), and heavy workloads (3.14±0.82). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION This study highlights that risk assessment was the most used and effective preventive measure among nurses. Challenges, such as the lack of training and heavy workloads, hindered utilization. Recommendations include regular updates on best practices for staff, especially new nurses, to bridge the theory-practice gap and promptly implement research findings.