The impact of pressure injury classification (PUCLAS-4) e-learning program in nursing students to acquire the ability to diagnose and classify pressure injury

This study was designed insingle group pre-test – post-test pattern in order to examine the effect of the PUCLAS-4 E-learning program given to the senior nursing students on the skills of diagnosis and classification of pressure ulcers. The research was conducted with 223 seniors at Faculty of Nursing in Ege University who volunteered to participate in the research, had computer skills and internet access. "Student Data Form", "Pre-test – Post-test Question Form" and PUCLAS-4 e-learning tool were used to collect the research data. The students participating in the research were informed about the research and their verbal approvals were obtained. In the pre-test applied to the students, a total of 31 questions with photographs were reflected on the screen on barcovision and they were asked to distinguish pressure ulcers from incontinence associated dermatitis (IAD) or perform staging related to the photo in each question. After the pre-test was applied, the students were asked to use Puclas-4 E-Learning tool. After Puclas training, a post-test was applied. The same photos were used in the pre-test and the post-test, and only the order of the photos was changed in the post-test. In the analysis of the data, t test analysis for unrelated samples was used when comparing the averages of the independent groups while t test analysis for (dependent) groups was used to compare the averages of the related groups. The results were tabulated using descriptive statistical analysis to assess demographic data of the students. According to the findings obtained from the research, it was found that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between pre-test and post-test averages of the students after PUCLAS-4 training and that PUCLAS-4 e-learning program developed the students'skills to classify pressure ulcers and distinguish them from IAD. Because of the significant difference between the students' post-test-retention test point averages, it is concluded that the students have completely learnt how to diagnose and classify pressure ulcers. It has also been concluded that the students' gender, overall academic grade average and level of computer use have no effect on the students' skills to classify pressure ulcers. In accordance with research findings, it is suggested that PUCLAS-4 e-learning program should also be used in addition to traditional training methods in the diagnosis and classification training of pressure ulcersprovided to the students.In addition, it is recommended that a patient's medical and ulcer history, incontinence, immobility and nutritional status should be added in the info and photos included in PUCLAS e-learning program in order to help the students easily diagnose the case and to facilitate the decision-making process and user-friendly classification systems that can help both the students and nurses to distinguish healthy skin from non-blanchable erythema and pressure ulcers from incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Key words: Classification; pressure ulcer; incontinence