An exploration of fourth-year undergraduate nurses' knowledge of and attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention

OBJECTIVE: To determine undergraduate nurses' knowledge of and attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention. METHOD: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. Ethical approval was received. A convenience sample of fourth-year undergraduate nurses was selected to participate (n=60). Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire. RESULTS: Overall, the participants showed a positive attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention but displayed poor knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention. Interestingly, having a high level of competency corresponded with having a positive attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention, but did not equate to possessing knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that fourth-year undergraduates have a positive attitude but lack adequate knowledge on the prevention of pressure ulcers. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: There were no external sources of funding for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.