Objective: This work aimed to develop a pressure ulcer prevention nursing and health education strategy by using mind map techniques, apply the strategy to critically ill inpatients, and evaluate its effect on preventing pressure ulcers in patients.
Methods: A study population of 82 critically ill hospitalized patients received random assignments to the control group (routine nursing intervention, n = 41) and the observation group (mental map health education based on the control group, n = 20). Patients in each group were then compared for the incidence and knowledge of pressure ulcers before and after nursing intervention and health education.
Results: The awareness rates of pressure ulcer knowledge in the control and observation groups were 78.85% and 94.21%, respectively. The awareness rates of prevention knowledge after intervention were 79.8% and 94.38%, respectively (P < .05). The proportion of patients with a high risk of pressure ulcers in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P < .05). The proportion of patients with a mild risk of pressure ulcers in the observation group was higher than in the control group (P < .05). Stage I pressure ulcers in the control and observation groups were 12.3% and 3.65%, respectively (P < .05). The incidence of stage II and above pressure ulcers in the control group and the observation group were 25.8% and 20.1%, respectively (P < .05).
Conclusions: The mind map health education model helped improve patients' cognition level of pressure ulcers and enhanced their awareness of active cooperation, significantly preventing pressure ulcers.