Nurses' knowledge on pressure injury prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on the Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Tool.

Introduction: Inadequate knowledge on pressure injury (PI) can have a detrimental effect on preventive care strategies. The aim of this study was to assess the overall knowledge of nurses on PI prevention based on their scores on the Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Tool (PUKAT) and its subscales in different settings.

Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, databases including Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus were searched, using the following keywords: Pressure Ulcer, Pressure injury, Bedsore, Pressure Sore, Decubitus Ulcer, knowledge, and their possible combinations. Based on heterogeneity between the studies, the data were analyzed using a random effects model. All of the analyses were performed using STATA v.12 software.

Results: In all three groups (nurses, assistant nurses, and nursing students), the lowest knowledge scores were for prevention measures to reduce the amount of pressure/shear. Nurses' knowledge (55.4%, 95% CI: 42.4-68.4) was higher than that of nursing students (52.7%, 95% CI: 3-49.56) and assistant nurses (42.2%, 95% CI: 16.4-68).

Conclusion: The overall knowledge of nurses on PI prevention was lower than the recommended level (60%). Regular training courses and review of PI prevention guidelines can be useful in updating the knowledge of nurses, especially assistant nurses and nursing students on PI prevention.