Patient education materials on pressure injury prevention in hospitals and health services in Victoria, Australia: Availability and content analysis

Abstract

Pressure injuries (PIs) are a common quality indicator for hospital care, and preventing PIs often requires patient engagement; as such, Australian consensus research has recommended that high‐quality education materials be made to patients for PIs via hospital networks. The purpose of the present study was to assess the availability and accuracy of patient education materials on PIs in publicly available hospital websites in Victoria, Australia. Two independent coders assessed 212 websites for content on PI prevention and management, analysing availability and accuracy of PI definitions, risk factors, preventive strategies, referral, visual tools, consumer endorsement, information for family/carers, and translation on community languages. A greater proportion of hospitals did not have any patient education materials on PI prevention publicly available, with private hospitals (compared with public) and metropolitan hospitals (compared to rural) more likely to have materials available on their sites. The available materials contained accurate messages on PI defining characteristics and risk factors for PIs, although there was considerable variability on the availability of other information. Our findings suggest a significant deficit in the availability of educational materials for acute care patients and their families. There is a need for evidence‐based, consumer‐endorsed, uniform materials on all hospital websites to prevent PIs in acute care.

An education intervention care bundle to improve hospitalised patients’ pressure injury prevention knowledge: a before and after study

“…Moreover, the PPIPCB is delivered individually to the participant, increasing the potential to improve PIP knowledge and participation in PIP care 55 . As nurses play a vital role in patient education, having easy access to targeted evidence-based patient education resources can facilitate interpersonal dialogue between nurses and patients to enhance participation in their care 23,25,40 . Therefore, understanding why PIP education is not effectively delivered by nurses warrants further investigation to support the role of care bundles as a PIP strategy.…”

“…Research shows most patients are willing participants in their PIP care 7 such as decision-making and care planning [23][24][25] .…”

Rationale for participation in venous leg ulcer clinical research: Patient interview study

“…Participants trusted healthcare professionals more than any other source of health information. Considering the lack of wound-related information for patients in general, 52,53 all information on VLU management provided to patients as part of research participation was valued by research participants as they acknowledged this improved their understanding of VLU healing and future prevention and care, which they considered as part of research-related quality care.…”

Pressure Injury Surveillance and Prevention in Australia: Monash Partners Capacity Building Framework

“…In addition to consumers' involvement in research, we involve them in assessment and development of education materials. For example, we conducted a small-scale research project on the availability and content analysis of online patient education materials on PI prevention in hospitals and health services in Melbourne Metropolitan and rural Victoria (60). We found that a greater proportion of hospitals did not have any of these materials publicly available, with private hospitals and metropolitan hospitals more likely to have materials available on their sites compared with public and rural hospitals.…”

“…We found that a greater proportion of hospitals did not have any of these materials publicly available, with private hospitals and metropolitan hospitals more likely to have materials available on their sites compared with public and rural hospitals. The available materials contained accurate messages on PI defining characteristics and risk factors for PIs, although many of these materials were not approved by a consumer group (60). We plan to develop a repository of patient education materials on PI prevention, which will be regularly updated and approved by the Consumer Advisory Group.…”