PERCEPTIONS OF PRACTICING NURSES AND NURSE EDUCATORS ON WOUND ASSESSMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING.
Contributors: University of Alabama.
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 166
Subjects: Health Sciences, Education.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study examined the perceptions of practicing nurses about their ability to provide wound care and perceptions about their basic nursing education in the area of wound care. The study also investigated the perceptions of nursing faculty about the teaching of wound care. A survey was sent to a randomly selected study sample of 450 registered nurses and 379 nursing faculty. Responses were received from 433 research participants, for a 57.50% return rate.

The survey was constructed to identify perceptual data about wound care; registered nurses were asked questions concerning their perceptions of their performance in these areas, and nursing faculty were asked questions concerning their perceptions of their ability to teach these areas. Both groups were also asked to describe their perceptions of their education programs' effectiveness in providing instruction in wound care and assessment. Chi-square and t-test analyses were performed to examine the data relative to the research questions.

The study concluded that there was no significant (p $<$.01) relationship between nurses' educational preparation, practice site, years of work experience, and perceptions of the ability to perform wound care and assessment, but that a significant relationship existed between frequency of performance of wound care and perceptions of the ability to perform wound care. A significant relationship also existed between completion of additional education in the area of wound care and assessment and perceptions of the ability to perform wound care.

There was no significant difference in the perceptions of nurses educated in baccalaureate programs and from programs of other types regarding their educational preparation to perform wound care and assessment. There was no significant difference in the perceptions of nursing faculty teaching in baccalaureate programs and faculty from programs of other types regarding their ability to teach wound care and assessment. There was a significant difference between faculty and nurses regarding the effectiveness of instruction in wound care and assessment.

Several recommendations were offered, including the suggestion that nursing programs review the curricula devoted to wound care and assessment in order to assure that adequate and current knowledge is presented.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-06, Section: B, page: 3638.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, 1996.

School code: 0004.