author(s)
Sunil Kumar Sharma

abstract

Introduction: Pressure ulcers remain a significant concern in clinical practice, particularly among immobile and critically ill patients. The Braden scale is a widely utilized tool for assessing the risk of pressure sore development. However, its effective implementation depends on the knowledge and practical competence of nursing staff. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-structured teaching programme in enhancing the knowledge and practice of staff nurses regarding the use of the Braden scale.

Methodology: A quantitative, pre-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was adopted. The study was conducted at City Hospital, Jaipur, involving 120 staff nurses selected through non-probability convenience sampling. A structured knowledge questionnaire and an observational checklist were used as data collection tools. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential methods, including the paired t-test and chi-square test.

Results: The mean knowledge score increased from 11.36 in the pre-test to 23.53 in the post-test, with a significant t-value of 11.53 at DF=129. Similarly, the mean practice score improved from 8.85 to 10.68, with a t-value of 8.38, indicating a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05). Post-test results showed that 98.33% of participants had good knowledge and 88.33% demonstrated good practice. A significant association was found between post-test knowledge and demographic variables such as gender (?² = 8.47) and work experience (?² = 16.16).

Conclusion: The structured teaching programme was highly effective in enhancing both knowledge and practical skills of staff nurses regarding pressure sore risk assessment using the Braden scale. These findings support the inclusion of structured training as a core component of professional nursing development to promote evidence-based practice and improve patient care outcomes.