KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE AND PERCEIVED BARRIER OF PRESSURE ULCER PREVENTION AMONG NURSES IN A PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN SELANGOR

Pressure Ulcers (PUs) are a significant health problem for hospitalized patients associated with the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Each year, more than 2.5 million patients suffer from PUs, and about 60,000 people died due to complications of PUs globally. Although PUs brings devastating consequences, fortunately, it can be prevented. The prevention of PUs represents a marker of quality of care and safety of a health-care organization. PUs prevention indeed needs multidisciplinary collaboration management; however, nurses' role is more significant as they are the frontline in providing patient care. This study aimed to assess knowledge, practice, and perceived barriers of PUs prevention among nurses in a Public Hospital in Selangor. A descriptive and cross-sectional study was used to obtain the data. A purposive sample of 220 nurses had been recruited from ICU, CCU, medical, surgical, and orthopedic wards at Public Hospital in Selangor. Data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires. The result was analyzed using the IBM Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) Window Version 23. This study revealed that the respondents had adequate knowledge (95.0%) and good practice (96.8%) of PUs prevention. Heavy workload and inadequate staff were mostly cited as the barrier of PUs prevention. In overall, the respondents' knowledge and practice were good; however, deficits in a particular area of knowledge and practice of PUs prevention still exist. The hospital and nursing department should organize continuous education programs and in-house training in related field to optimized nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding pressure ulcer prevention and management.