Nursing student’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding pressure ulcer’s care: Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Introduction: Pressure ulcers remain a significant public health concern, with their prevalence ranging internationally from 8.4% to 18.7%. Effective prevention and management require adequate knowledge, appropriate clinical skills, and positive attitudes among nurses. Therefore, undergraduate nursing education plays a crucial role in developing the professional competencies required for the prevention and care of pressure ulcers. Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding pressure ulcer care through a review of the available international literature. Materials and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published between 2015 and 2025. The search strategy included the keywords “Pressure Ulcers,” “Nursing Students,” “Knowledge,” “Attitudes,” and “Behaviour,” as well as related terms. Results: A total of 12 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The findings indicated that nursing students generally demonstrated an inadequate level of knowledge regarding the prevention and management of pressure ulcers, whereas their attitudes and behaviors toward the care of patients with pressure ulcers were generally positive. Discussion: Overall, the findings of this review indicate that strengthening undergraduate nursing education is essential for improving the quality of nursing care provided to patients with pressure ulcers. Increasing the number of clinical practice hours, incorporating high-fidelity simulation into educational programs, providing systematic instruction on international clinical practice guidelines, and promoting evidence-based nursing practice may substantially enhance nursing students’ knowledge, clinical skills, and critical thinking abilities. Conclusions: The findings of this review highlight the need to strengthen undergraduate nursing education through specialized theoretical and clinical educational interventions aimed at improving nursing students’ knowledge, clinical competencies, and the quality of care provided to patients with pressure ulcers. Keywords: Pressure ulcers; nursing students; knowledge; attitudes; behaviour.

Keywords: Pressure ulcers, nursing students, knowledge, attitudes, behaviour