Nursing students' perceptions and experiences in pressure injury risk assessment: A qualitative study.

Aim: This study aims to capture the perspectives of senior undergraduate nursing students concerning pressure injury risk assessment, shedding light on their practical experiences and insights.

Background: Pressure injuries pose a significant challenge in healthcare, demanding vigilant attention from healthcare professionals. Central to mitigating this challenge is the imperative role of risk assessment, placing nurses at the forefront of prevention strategies. Given the critical nature of this responsibility, the need for a robust and well-structured integration of risk assessment teaching within undergraduate nursing education becomes increasingly apparent.

Design: This study was conducted as a descriptive qualitative study.

Method: This research was conducted at the Nursing Faculty of a State University in Ankara/Turkey, involving 19 senior students enrolled in the nursing program. Data was collected online using in-depth interviews with semi-structured interview questions between November and December 2022. After data collection, transcripts were generated and subjected to thematic analysis. The study was reported following the COREQ Checklist.

Results: The study revealed two overarching themes: Opinions and Experiences. Within the Opinions theme, subthemes emerged, including "Features of Teaching," "Pressure Injury Definition," and "Improving Teaching Methods." The Experiences theme encompassed sub-themes such as the "Limited Relationship between Theoretical Teaching and Clinical Practice" and "Assessing the Risk of Pressure Injury in Practice."

Conclusion: Participants affirmed that theoretical instruction sufficiently addressed pressure injury risk assessment yet expressed concerns about the inadequacy of clinical teaching. Additionally, they underscored the need for innovative teaching methods in the theoretical instructional process.