Pressure Ulcer Evaluation Summary

The article I choose was "Effectiveness of an e-learning tool for education on pressure ulcer evaluation" by Morente, Morales-Asencio and Veredas. The purpose of this article was to determine if e-learning modules would be more effective in teaching the assessment and treatment of pressure ulcers than the traditional classroom methods. Pressure ulcers are serious preventable clinical complications that can lead to pain, infection, hospitalization, and even death (Kelly & Isted, 2011). Accurate classification of these ulcers is essential to provide appropriate prevention measures and treatment (Briggs, 2006). This is very relevant in my practice in a hospital based progressive care floor were treatment protocol for pressure ulcers is not followed and pressure ulcer identification and documentation are often inaccurate. The facility has a protocol in place on how to treat staged and unstageable pressure ulcers; but the lack of education and understanding of such classifications are evident as many pressure ulcers go undiagnosed and are treated inappropriately. There is also a lack of follow-up since there is no continuity of care and we have no wound nurse. The evaluation, treatment and identification of healing is left at the discretion of the primary nurse. I feel that education is one of the key interventions for successful prevention and management of pressure ulcers. A standardized learning tool that is mandated and updated with evidenced base literature would improve the quality of care and patient outcomes. In Morente, Morales-Asensio & Veredas (2014), the authors clearly indicate the research question "Is there a better understanding of pressure ulcer evaluation for undergraduate nursing students that learn using an e-learning tool or for undergraduate students who use traditional lecture class room learning." In this quantitative study, a randomized control trial was developed using an interventional group of students taught by e-learning modules while a control group received traditional classroom instruction. …show more content…
Both groups received pre and post test questionnaires to evaluate their knowledge. The results showed that the E-Pub online learning modules produced statistically significant improvement of identification and treatment of pressure ulcers compared to the on campus teaching environment. The purpose of this paper is to examine and critique the design, foundation, conduct, analysis and usefulness of the research Research Design The authors indicate that the research was done as randomized controlled trial utilizing undergraduate nursing students (Morente, Morales-Asensio & Veredas, 2014). The research did follow a true experimental design. As Lo-Biondo-Wood & Haber explains, all true experimental designs have subjects randomly assigned to groups, have an experimental treatment introduced to some of the subjects, have a comparison/control group and have the differential effects of the treatment observed (2014). This design followed those done in similar studies. Beeckman et al (2008) evaluated the effect of an e-learning tool in improving PU classification among 212 RNs and 214 nursing students using an experimental design. Foundation for Studies The article was written in a logical organized manner in which the problem statement of the effectiveness of e-learning on pressure ulcer evaluation was stated. …show more content…
The independent variable of e-learning and dependent variable of classroom instruction were clearly identified. In this article, however, I found the hypothesis to be unclear. According to LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, the statement should indentify and predict the relationship of the variables (2014). A hypothesis is a statement that identifies the predicted correlation between the independent and dependent variable. Although the author establishes the limitations of the current educational methods used for pressure ulcer assessments for undergraduate nurses, they do not offer any clear relationship or attempt to predict the effectiveness of the e-learning tool. Supportive literature review was provided which showed the impact of information and communication technologies on nursing education and discussed the increasing concern to increase the validity and methodology of these e-learning tools (Bloomfield et al. 2008). Conduct of Studies The population of the study consisted of a total of 73 students in the Bachelor of Nursing program at the University School of Nursing of Provincial Council of Malaga (Spain). There were two inclusion criteria. The participants were to be presently enrolled in the nursing "Adult I" course and also needed to agree to participate in the study. No participants met the exclusionary criteria of previous clinical or educational experience with pressure ulcer care; and