Nursing team knowledge on care for patients with fungating wounds

to evaluate the nursing team knowledge of a cancer hospital on care for patients with Malignant Fungating Wounds (MFW) and to analyze associated sociodemographic and educational factors.

Method:

an observational and cross-sectional study, conducted between September and October 2015, after approval by the Research Ethics Committee. A questionnaire was applied containing sociodemographic, educational and related components to the accomplishment of dressings, dressings choice and orientation. Data were analyzed by using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact test, Student’s t-Test and Pearson’s correlation.

Results:

37 professionals participated in the study, most of whom were technicians (56.8%), women (91.9%) and with a mean age of 32 years. The professionals presented 56.5% of correct answers. There were no statistically significant associations between sociodemographic/educational variables and number of correct answers.

Conclusion:

there was a lack of important knowledge about care for patients with MFW, which should guide strategies for the oncology staff training.

Descriptors:
Wounds and Injuries; Neoplasms; Nursing Care; Oncology Nursing; Knowledge Management

Characteristcs			n		%
Gender	Female		34		91.9
Gender	Male		3		8.1
Marital Status	Single		19		51.4
	Married		14		37.8
	Divorced		2		5.4
	Stable Union		2		5.4
Work Field	Inpatient Unit		27		73.0
	Chemotherapy		8		21.6
	Radiotherapy		1		2.7
	Ambulatory		1		2.7
Profession	Nursing Tech.		21		56.8
Profession	Nurse		16		43.2
Another Academic Training	No		31		83.8
Another Academic Training	Yes		6		16.2
Wounds Training	No		24		64.9
Wounds Training	Yes		13		35.1
Participation in Events about Wounds in the Last 5 years	Yes		20		54.1
Participation in Events about Wounds in the Last 5 years	No		17		45.9
Characteristics	Mean	Standard Deviation	Median	Minimum value	Maximum value
Age (years)	32.5	8.2	30.0	23	57
Training Time (years)	7.5	5.1	6.0	2	22
Oncology Work Time (years)	4.6	2.2	5.0	1	12

Question	Nursing Technicians (n=21)						Nurses (n=16)						p value
	Scores		Errors		I do not know		Scores		Errors		I do not know
	f	%	f	%	f	%	f	%	f	%	f	%
1 - Home wound dressing technique (clean x sterile technique)	3	14.3	16	76.2	2	9.5	3	18.8	11	68.7	2	12.5	1.00*
2 - Conduct of the nursing team in case of wound bleeding	9	42.9	11	52.4	1	4.7	9	56.3	6	37.5	1	6.2	0.42**
3 - Purpose of dressing for fungating wounds	7	33.4	10	47.6	4	19	10	62.5	2	12.5	4	25	0.07**
4 - Purpose of dressing and signs and symptoms control: exudate, bleeding, odor, pain, and infection	15	71.4	2	9.6	4	19	14	87.5	2	12.5	-	-	0.42*
5 - Bleeding prevention	13	61.9	8	38.1	-	-	13	81.3	3	18.7	-	-	0.28*
6 - Causes of myiasis	21	100	-	-	-	-	16	100	-		-	-	1.00**
7 - Topical odor control therapy	4	19	17	81	-	-	6	37.5	10	62.5	-	-	0.27*
8 - Signs of wound infection	13	61.9	8	38.1	-	-	13	81.3	3	18.7	-	-	0.28*
9 - Exudate control	15	71.4	6	28.6	-	-	14	87.5	2	12.5	-	-	0.42*
10 - Classification of fungating wounds	13	61.9	-	-	8	38.1	4	25	3	18.7	9	56.3	0.03*
11 - Coverings and dressings use that do not stimulate healing and growth of new cells	8	38.1	4	19	9	42.9	7	43.8	7	43.7	2	12.5	0.73**

Characteristics		Scores mean in the test	Standard Deviation	p^* * p - Descriptive level of the Student's t-Test.
Gender	Female	6.2	2.3	0.73
Gender	Male	6.7	1.5	0.73
Marital Status	Single	6.3	2.3	0.62
	Married	6.1	2.1
	Divorced	5.0	4.2
	Stable Union	8.0	2.8
Work Field	Inpatient Unit	6.3	2.5	0.56
	Chemotherapy	6.6	1.6
	Radiotherapy	4.0	-
	Ambulatory	4.0	-
Profession	Nursing Tech.	5.8	2.5	0.17
Profession	Nurse	6.8	1.9	0.17
Another Academic Training	No	6.5	2.1	0.10
Another Academic Training	Yes	4.8	2.7	0.10
Wounds Training	No	6.4	2.0	0.57
Wounds Training	Yes	5.9	2.8	0.57
Participation in Events about Wounds in the Last 5 years	Yes	6.1	2.5	0.85
Participation in Events about Wounds in the Last 5 years	No	6.3	2.1	0.85

Associação Brasileira de Enfermagem SGA Norte Quadra 603 Conj. "B" - Av. L2 Norte 70830-102 Brasília, DF, Brasil, Tel.: (55 61) 3226-0653, Fax: (55 61) 3225-4473 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
E-mail: reben@abennacional.org.br

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[1] Corresponding Author: Fernanda Mateus Queiroz Schmidt E-mail: fernandamqueiroz@yahoo.com.br