Nurses’ Knowledge, Practices, and Barriers in Care of Patients with Pressure Ulcers in a Ugandan Teaching Hospital

Table 4

Observations made during the daily nursing activities (recorded for one week on each ward studied).

Ward	Orthopedic	Medical	Surgical	Spinal	Neuro
Average number of patients on each unit	18	56	43	17	21
Number of patients with at least a; first stage pressure ulcer	2 (11%)	2 (3.5%)	3 (7%)	6 (35%)	5 (24%)
Parameter observed
Turning of patients at risk every two hours			✓	✓	✓
Educating a patient who is at risk or a caregiver; about the prevention of pressure ulcers	✓	✓	✓	✓
Conducting continuous assessment of areas; at risk of developing pressure ulcers	✓			✓
Controlling moisture on the skin of; patients who are at risk	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Use of pressure reduction devices; for patients					✓
Availability of pressure reduction devices		✓			✓
Involving other health workers in prevention; and management of pressure ulcers		✓	✓		✓
Documenting and reporting about patients; with or at risk of developing pressure ulcers
Use of formal assessment tool in; assessing patients for pressure ulcers
Cleaning, debriding, and dressing of; pressure ulcers on daily basis	✓				✓