Validation of the Pressure Injury Prevention Knowledge questionnaire in nursing students: Rasch analysis

Abstract

Objective: The aim of our study is to measure the knowledge of nursing students at the University of Jaén about evidence-based recommendation for the prevention of pressure injuries.

Method: A cross-sectional observational and validation study was carried in 2019, using an online survey. All the students registered on the Nursing Degree programme of the University of Jaén were invited to participate. The psychometric properties of the Pressure Injury Prevention Knowledge questionnaire (PIPK) were tested by a Rasch analysis. With the analysis, the percentage of correct and wrong answers was calculated, the global score and the association with some educational variables.

Results: The PIPK questionnaire showed adequate psychometric characteristics (alpha=.89) and good fit to the Rasch model. The average knowledge score on pressure injury prevention obtained was 21.0 (this is 67.7% of the maximum). Higher scores were obtained by the students that had finished some clinical placements; those with more placements; had attended a meeting about pressure injuries and those in a higher year of the programme.

Conclusions: The PIPK questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the knowledge of nursing students about pressure injuries prevention. The nursing students of the University of Jaén obtained a score in the questionnaire higher than 50%.

Keywords: Conocimientos; Encuestas y cuestionarios; Estudiantes de enfermería; Knowledge; Lesión por presión; Nursing students; Pressure injuries; Prevención; Prevention; Surveys and questionnaires.