Examination of the effect of mobile technology use on nursing care in the prevention of medical device-related pressure injury

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE: The study was planned to determine the effect of the use of the Hi Nurse mobile application, which was developed to provide care and follow-up for medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPI), on nurses' knowledge level, care practices and thus incidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in a one-group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design in order to increase the knowledge level of intensive care nurses about MDRPI by using a mobile application. Firstly, the content of 'Hi Nurse' mobile health application was prepared. The incidence rates of MDRPI were examined from 164 patients who were hospitalized in the Chest Diseases Intensive Care Unit between 1 March and 1 September 2024 in a six-month period covering the time before and after the mobile application was used. The sample group of the study consisted of 13 nurses working in the Chest Diseases Intensive Care Unit of a Training and Research Hospital who volunteered to participate in the study. 'Nurse Information Form' and "Medical Device-Related Pressure Injury Information Questionnaire (MDRPIIQ)" were used to collect data from nurses. 'Patient Identification Form'', ''Pressure Injury Incidence Form'', ''Glasgow Coma Scale'', ''Jackson Cubbin Risk Assessment Scale'' and ''Braden Risk Assessment Scale'' were used for the incidence of MDRPI in the relevant periods. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyse the data. While the incidence of MDRPI in the intensive care unit was 42.7 before the study, this rate was found to be 8.53 after the study. FINDINGS: In the study, while the MDRPI pre-test knowledge score of the nurses before the mobile application was 24.00∓3.49, the post-test score was found to be 27.15∓2.19, and it was found that the mean MDRPI knowledge score increased statistically significant after the use of mobile application (p<0.05). RESULTS: While the use of Hi Nurse mobile application by intensive care nurses in the clinic decreased the incidence rates of MDRPI in the intensive care unit, it was noticed in clinical practices that it increased the knowledge level and awareness of nurses. CONCLUSION: It has been noticed in clinical practices that the use of mobile applications by intensive care nurses in the clinic reduces the incidence rates of pressure injuries associated with medical devices in the intensive care unit and increases the knowledge and awareness of nurses. Keywords: Hi Nurse, Medical Device Related Pressure Injury, Mobile Application, Mobile Technologies, Pressure Injury