Effectiveness of an E-Book App on the Knowledge, Attitudes and Confidence of Nurses to Prevent and Care for Pressure Injury

Aims: This study evaluates the effectiveness of an interactive E-book app training program in improving nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and confidence to prevent and care for pressure injury. Design: Randomized experimental study. Methods: Participants were recruited from a teaching hospital in Taiwan. The study was carried out between 20 March 2014 to 1 April 2016. In total, 164 participants were randomly assigned to a pressure injury E-book app training program (n = 86) or a conventional education program (n = 78) with a one-month follow-up. Outcome variables were levels of pressure injury knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of pressure injury care. Results: Participants answered 51.96% of the pressure injury knowledge questions correctly before the intervention and 75.5% after the intervention. The pressure injury attitude score was slightly positive, with moderate confidence in pressure injury care. The knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of pressure injury care of the two groups in the pretest and posttest groups increased significantly. Analysis of covariance indicated that nurses in the pressure injury E-book app group had significantly greater improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and pressure injury care confidence as compared with the control group. Conclusion: The pressure injury E-book app interactive training program was effective in improving nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward pressure injury care and in enhancing their confidence in pressure injury care; therefore, this program has potential for nurses' in-service education in both Taiwan and worldwide. Impact: E-book apps allow individuals to control the time and place of learning. Direct observation of procedural skills can provide feedback to trainees on techniques to ensure learning effectiveness and pressure injury care quality.