The effect of education given to parents on the prevention of pressure ulcers in children at HİGH risk of pressure ulcer development planned to be discharged from the intensive care unit

Objective: This study was aimed to evaluate effect of education given to parents of children with high risk of developing pressure ulcers to reduce the risk of pressure ulcers. Method: This randomized controlled study was conducted with the parents of children aged 1-8 years (n=38) who were treated and planned to be discharged in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Antalya Training and Research Hospital between June 2022 and November 2022. Data were collected by Child and Parent Diagnosis Form and Braden Q Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale (BQS). Parents of children who were determined as severe risk, high risk and very high risk according to the score obtained from the scale were included in the sample. The intervention group was given 15-minutes verbal-visual training at the bedside, and printed pressure ulcer prevention guide was given to the parents. The pre-discharge BQS score formed the pre-test. One month after discharge, the BQS score filled with the parents on the phone formed the post-test. Results: The BQS scale total score averages of the children in the intervention and control groups, respectively (x̄=16.78 - x̄=14.31), and the mean scores of the nutrition and humidity sub-dimensions compared to the intervention and control groups (2.26 ± 0.87 - 1, respectively). As a result of the analysis carried out to determine whether .63 ± 0.68) and (2.36 ± 0.59 - 1.89 ± 0.56) would differ, it was seen that the pretest and posttest mean scores of the scale total score differed significantly according to the groups. Conclusion: In the pre-test application, score of the control group (x̄=13.21) was higher than the intervention group (x̄=11.89). However, in the post-test application, it was measured significantly higher in favor of the intervention group (x̄=16.78). It was observed that the risk of pressure ulcers was reduced in children in the group given education and printed booklets (p<0.05). Key words: Child, Pressure Ulcer, Education, Parent, Nursing