Systematic review of patient education for pressure injury: Evidence to guide practice

BACKGROUND: Pressure injuries (PIs) are generally regarded as predictable and preventable. Therefore, providing appropriate care for PI prevention and its management is vital. Patient education is a significant component of the PI international guideline-recommended strategy in preventing PIs. Despite the availability of evidence supporting patient education, consensus regarding the effect of patient education on knowledge, patient participation, wound healing progress, and quality of life is still lacking.

AIMS: The main aim was to systematically evaluate the available evidence regarding the effectiveness of structured patient education on their knowledge, participation, wound healing, and quality of life.

METHODS: The search strategy retrieved studies published between 2009 and 2021 in English across PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library. Adult participants aged 18 years and above were included. Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, and interventional studies were all included in this review. Three independent reviewers assessed the methodological quality of the studies, prior to critical appraisal, using standardized tools, that is, the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for randomized and non-randomized studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted.

RESULTS: A total of eight studies (466 participants) were included in this review. Available evidence indicated improved patient knowledge, participation, and quality of life with structured patient education. However, there was insufficient high-quality evidence to conclude the effect on wound healing.

LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: Structured patient education for PI was deemed to help improve patients' knowledge, participation, and quality of life. More rigorous trials are needed for the effect on wound healing progress. Thus, future educational interventions should include wound care components that describe the patient's role in promoting wound healing. A well-structured patient education program protocol is crucial to ensure the educational intervention was measurable in its effectiveness and reproducibility.