Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Compliance on Pressure Injury Prevention Among Staff Nurses and the Prevalence of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries in the Intensive Cluster Area

Abstract

This descriptive correlational study examined the levels of knowledge, attitudes, practices, and compliance of staff nurses regarding pressure injury prevention and their relationship to the prevalence of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) in the intensive cluster area of a private tertiary hospital in Metro Manila. The respondents were registered nurses aged 20–50 years, currently employed in the intensive cluster area, and with at least six months of work experience. Data were collected using a questionnaire that measured the nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, practices, and compliance related to pressure injury prevention. Quantitative analysis revealed that nurses consistently rated themselves as “always” across all parameters (knowledge x̄=4.554; attitude x̄=4.7225; practices x̄=4.644; and compliance x̄=4.703), indicating a high level of competency. Correlation analysis demonstrated strong and statistically significant relationships between compliance and practice (r=0.788, p < .001), compliance and attitude (r = 0.760, p < .001), and compliance and knowledge (r=0.725, p < .001), respectively. Also,  highlighting their interrelated nature, inter-variable correlation was observed between knowledge and practice (r = 0.832, p < .001), attitude and knowledge (r = 0.797, p < .001), and attitude and practice (r = 0.767, p < .001). However, chi-square analysis showed that only the variable practice was significantly associated with HAPI prevalence, 34.3 (df = 16, p = 0.005), whereas knowledge and attitudes were not. These findings suggest that while knowledge and positive attitudes provide a necessary foundation, the consistent application of evidence-based nursing practice plays a more critical role in reducing pressure injury rates. The study therefore recommends ongoing training, regular performance monitoring, and reinforcement of clinical protocols to sustain and enhance patient safety outcomes.