An interprofessional approach to pressure ulcer prevention: a knowledge and attitudes evaluation

Abstract

Background: Pressure ulcers (PUs) are a major burden to individuals, impacting their physical, mental and social wellbeing. While PU prevention is traditionally regarded as a nursing issue, an interprofessional approach has been promoted as best practice. However, little is known about current practice or the knowledge and attitudes of the wider interprofessional team (IPT).

Purpose: Pre-designed questionnaires were used to explore knowledge and attitudes with healthcare staff in the community.

Methods: Questionnaires were disseminated to all healthcare staff within a community healthcare Trust predominantly via an online tool. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The median values of all professional groups demonstrated satisfactory attitudes (>75%) and levels of knowledge (>60%) to PU prevention. However, there were differences within and between groups. Management staff demonstrated the most positive attitude to PU prevention (89%), followed by occupational therapists (OTs) and healthcare assistants (HCAs) (87%, IQR: 75%→89%). OTs demonstrated the highest scores for knowledge (69%, IQR: 62%→73%), while healthcare and rehabilitation assistants scored the lowest (58%, IQR: 58%-64%).

Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that the majority of healthcare staff in a UK community setting have satisfactory levels of knowledge and attitudes in relation to PU prevention overall. Nevertheless, there were some differences between groups, albeit non-significant. There were also differences between sub-themes of the questionnaires, indicating a greater focus of pressure ulcer treatment over prevention. While PU prevention is widely regarded to be a nursing issue, these findings provide some indication of the potential for an interprofessional approach.

Keywords:

• pressure ulcer
• interprofessional
• knowledge
• attitudes
• community
• questionnaire

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by funding from the University of Southampton and Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

Abbreviation list

PU, Pressure ulcer; IPT, Interprofessional team; IQR, Interquartile range; OT, Occupational Therapist; PT, Physiotherapist; HCA, Healthcare Assistant; SCI, Spinal Cord Injury; RA, Rehabilitation Assistant; TVN, Tissue Viability Nurse; APUP, Attitudes to Pressure Ulcer Prevention tool; PUKAT, Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Tool; CVI, Content Validity Index; CI, Confidence Interval; AHP, Allied Health Professional; NHS, National Health Service.

Disclosure

Mr Paul Clarkson was a clinician in Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust  where data collection took place. Professor Lisette Schoonhoven received fees as a consultant in the Scientific Advisory Board from 3M outside the submitted work. The authors report no other conflicts of interest in this work.