Level of nurses’ knowledge on pressure ulcer prevention: A systematic review and meta-analysis study in Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE: Pressure ulcers (PU) are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue because of prolonged pressure. It affects millions of people in the world. One of the major nursing roles is to prevent patients from developing PU. Inadequate knowledge of nurses' toward PU can have a significant effect on preventive care strategies. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis study was to assess the overall level of nurses’ knowledge about the prevention of pressure ulcers. METHODS: A systemic review of primary research was undertaken and nurses’ knowledge on pressure ulcer prevention was evaluated. All original cross-sectional studies conducted only in Ethiopia in the English language were included in this meta-analysis. After extraction, the data analysis was done using STATA version 11 statistical software. Based on heterogeneity between the studies, the data were analyzed using a random effects model. RESULTS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, all the studies on nurses' knowledge on the prevention of PU were reviewed based on the PRISMA statement. The overall knowledge of nurses’ on pressure ulcer prevention was 46.24 % (95 % CI: 26.63–65.85). CONCLUSION: The overall knowledge of nurses’ on pressure ulcer prevention was low in this meta-analysis study. Sustainable training about the prevention of PU is very important for all nurses.