Abstract

ESPERON GUIMIL, José Antonio et al. Variability on the management of chronic wounds: What do nurses think about?. Gerokomos [online]. 2014, vol.25, n.4, pp.171-177. ISSN 1134-928X.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1134-928X2014000400007.

Objective: The aim of the study was to know the opinions of nurses on the variability in the approach and management of chronic wounds, and the factors that cause it. Methods: Voluntary fulfillment of a questionnaire by nurses from the three care levels. The questionnaire included demographic items, care level, training level in injuries, involvement in research and whether they considered the existence of variability in the approach of chronic wounds. Results: Response rate of 14%. The 90% considered that there was variability. They listed 202 reasons trying to explain this variability, which were classified in ten causes. A high percentage considered they have specific training in wounds, however more than half of respondents (65.5%) indicated that the variability is related to lack of training. Other causes reflected were "practice style" (41%), "care discontinuity" (24.5 %) and "excess/shortage of products" (14%). The inferential analysis showed no significant relationship between the studied variables and the response of the existence or not of variability. Conclusion: Even though the clinical practice guidelines reflect the evidence-based recommendations on the management of chronic wounds, the observational, cross-sectional study shows that a high percentage of respondents consider that variability exists. In spite of the training level that a larger number of respondents say to have, one of the main causes of the existence of variability is the lack of training, together with practice style, care discontinuity and excess/ shortage of products.

Keywords : Pressure ulcer; physician's practice patterns; evidence-based nursing; chronic wounds; nursing.

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