Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Bridgette Malchow

Abstract

Decubitus ulcers (DUs) were a constant concern among the residents of the nursing home in this project. Prolonged immobility, sensory impairment, and urinary incontinence are some of the factors found in the literature as the causes of the disease. However, the lack of useful knowledge regarding evidence-based practices (EBPs) to prevent and treat DUs also contributed to the higher incidence rates at the nursing home. The purpose of this DNP- project was to evaluate the caregivers’ knowledge of EBPs to prevent and treat DUs at the facility. The IOWA Model of Evidence-Based Practice, which healthcare practitioners use to guide clinical decision-making and to promote excellence in the healthcare setting, was the basis of this project. All caregivers working at the nursing home were invited to participate in a presentation on best practices to prevent and treat DUs. Forty of the attendees completed pretest and posttest questionnaires to evaluate their knowledge of using evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage DUs. The posttest scores revealed improvement in the caregivers' knowledge, with increases from 30% to 85% for nursing assistants, 35% to 95% for LPNs, and 45% to 100% for RNs. The recommendations made to the nursing home are that caregivers be given adequate and continuous education on evidence-based strategies to prevent and treat bedsores. The caregivers also need proper in-service training on and clarification on their roles in predicting, identifying, and preventing DUs in at-risk patients. The potential implications for positive social change of providing such training include improvements in the quality of patient care and reduced costs associated with managing DUs.

Download

Share

 
COinS