The effect of using clinical decision support system in pressure injury risk management teaching to nursing students: A randomized controlled study

This study was conducted as a randomized control group study to examine the effect of clinical decision support system in teaching pressure injury risk management. Within the scope of the study, a teaching software was developed, educational content was prepared, and pressure injury risk management was taught to second year nursing students for four weeks through the software and at the same time, students were enabled to actively use the software. In the study, post-tests were conducted and evaluated at the end of a four-week teaching period and a one-month follow-up period. The sample of the study consisted of 81 students (ncontrol1=20, ncontrol2=21, nintervention1=20, nintervention2=20) studying at Selçuk University Faculty of Nursing in the 2023-2024 academic year. Descriptive characteristics form, knowledge assessment scale for pressure ulcer prevention, attitude scale for pressure ulcer prevention and pre-post test case care plan were used for data collection. As a result of the study, it was determined that the students in the control and intervention groups had similar age and academic averages, the majority of them used the Braden pressure injury risk assessment scale in clinical practice and thought that this scale assessed the risk. The students in the intervention group had higher knowledge scores (KW=60,130; p<0,05) and more positive attitudes towards pressure injury (t=-2,880; p<0,05) than the students in the control group, and their ability to determine the nursing risk diagnosis and interventions for the risk factor in the case care plan was higher (KW: 62,862; p<0,05). As a result, it can be said that the teaching method by integrating the decision support system increased the knowledge scores of nursing students in pressure injury risk management teaching and positively affected their attitudes, and also had a facilitating role in identifying the problematic risk factor in the patient. In line with these results, it is recommended to integrate the decision support system integrated teaching method into nursing education and to increase its use in teaching situations that affect patient outcomes in the clinical environment.