Nurse's Knowledge Regarding Pressure Ulcer Prevention among Critical Patients in Intensive Care Unit at Governmental Hospitals in Gaza Strip

Abstract

This study aimed to assess nurse's knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention in governmental hospitals in the Gaza Strip. This study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional, analytical design. The sample of the study consisted of 116 ICU nurses from five governmental hospitals. For data collection, the researcher used a self-administrated questionnaire and Observation Checklist. Results showed that the study population were males (73.3%) and 26.7% were females. Moreover, (62.1%) of the study population had less than 5 years of experience in the ICU. There were no statistical significant differences between means in knowledge related to gender, age, educational level, and hospitals. The study concluded that intensive care nurses' knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention was above moderate. The study recommended the need to provide sufficient numbers of qualified nurses in intensive care departments and urged nurses to attend training courses on safety standards for the prevention of pressure ulcers among patients.