Volume 25 , Issue 2 , December 2023 , Pages 441-449
Abubakr Sidiq Mohammed Karim 1 ; Muhammad Rashid Amen 2
1 Department of Rehabilitation Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
2 Burn Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Hospital, Sulaimani Directorate of Health, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Background: Burn is a public health issue, and the disinfected practice plays an
important role in caring for patients with burns to reduce infection faster, recover, and
maintain the status. Objectives: To assess nurses' knowledge and practice regarding burn
wound dressing and utilizing aseptic techniques in dressing burn wounds. Patients and
methods: The quantitative descriptive study using a non-probability convenience sample
technique was used to recruit 45 nurses at Burn Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Hospital, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, from April to September 2022. A questionnaire was used
to collect nurses' sociodemographic characteristics and their knowledge, while an
observational checklist was used to evaluate their practice regarding burn wound
management. Results: The mean age of participants was 40.8±6.7, most of whom were
Nursing Institute graduates (86.7%). The mean score of experience as a nurse and in
burn units were 16.1±5.6 and 14.8±4.9, respectively, and most of them (91.1%) had good
knowledge regarding burn wound management. The proportion of satisfactory practice
levels regarding preparation, procedure of burn wound dressing and general practice
were 64.4%, 68.9%, and 66.7%, respectively. The proportion of regular introducing self,
explaining the procedure, hand hygiene before the process, and documentation were
zero. Conclusions: The nurses' knowledge of burn wound management was good, and
most had satisfactory overall wound dressing practice. However, introducing themselves,
explaining the procedure, hand washing, and documentation were the weakest aspects of
the practice.