Knowledge and Attitude towards Pressure Ulcer Preventions among UNIMAS Undergraduate Nursing Students
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Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
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Background: A pressure ulcer (PU) is a localised injury that typically develops over bony prominences as a result of sustained pressure, often in combination with friction and shear forces that affect the epidermis and/or underlying tissues. Nursing students’ knowledge and competence in preventing pressure ulcers are essential, as PUs are widely recognized as indicators of nursing care quality. Objectives: To identify the level of knowledge and attitude towards pressure ulcer preventions among undergraduate nursing students at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and to examine the relationship between knowledge and attitudes in this context. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted using simple random sampling. Data were collected from 163 undergraduate nursing students at UNIMAS. The Pressure Injury Prevention Knowledge (PIPK) and Attitude toward Pressure Ulcer Prevention (APuP) instruments were used in this study. Results: The findings revealed that a majority of participants demonstrated good knowledge (n = 133, 81.6%) and a positive attitude (n = 112, 68.7%) toward pressure ulcer prevention. The overall mean knowledge score was 68.4%, while the overall mean attitude score was 77.7%. A weak but statistically significant positive correlation was observed between knowledge and attitude (r = .181, p = .021). Conclusion: Although the nursing students exhibited generally good knowledge and positive attitudes regarding pressure ulcer prevention, the weak yet significant correlation suggests that knowledge alone may not be sufficient to influence attitudes or behaviour, highlighting the need for more integrative educational strategies.