The effect of pressure ulcer prevention care training by tele-nursing on the extent and severity of pressure ulcers in patients with stroke

Patients with stroke are at risk for pressure ulcers. Continuous presence and direct care of the nurse in preventing this complication is not possible in all cases. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of pressure ulcer prevention care training by tele-nursing on the amount and severity of pressure ulcers in patients with stroke. 

This quasi-experimental study was performed on 100 caregivers of patients with stroke and under home care in Torbat-e Heydarieh, Razavi Khorasan province in 2020. Sampling was done in an accessible manner and the samples were randomly assigned to two groups of routine training and telehoning. The tele-nursing group received a 15-minute telephone training program two days a week for one month. Data were collected using a patient and caregiver (caregivers) profile, a pressure ulcer risk assessment form, and a pressure ulcer monitoring checklist. Then, in SPSS20 software, using Chi-square, Fisher's exact, Mann-Whitney and independent T-tests were analyzed at the significance level of p <0.05.

Prior to the training, the two groups of routine training and tele-nursing did not suffer from pressure ulcers. But after training, the frequency and degree of pressure ulcers in the tele-nursing group were significantly lower than the routine training group (p <0.001). 

Based on the results obtained in this study, the rate of pressure ulcer in the telemedicine group was significantly lower than the group receiving routine training. Therefore, it is recommended to use tele-nursing to control pressure ulcers.