Prevention of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries: Clinical Experience and Evidence-based Project.
Clinical practice is an opportunity whereby nursing students get a chance to mix theoretical and practical work with patients. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a key factor in improving the quality of healthcare and patient outcomes. EBP provides a combination of clinical, patient preferences, and existing evidence to come up with the most appropriate decisions. The focus of this project was on preventing pressure injuries in hospitals (HAPIs) as an essential focus in patient safety.
The PICOT question that was developed was:
Among hospitalized patients (P), the two-hourly regular or irregular repositioning (I vs. C) versus the four-week pressure injury incidence (O) in patients?
Preceptor Leadership and Responsibilities.
My preceptor was a good leader who had a transformational and supportive leadership style. They planned the care provided to patients, distributed duties, and made sure that clinical guidelines were followed. They were engaged in the assessment of patients, patient care planning, monitoring of nursing intervention, and the level of patient safety. My preceptor involved the healthcare team in decision-making when making rounds with patients, which fostered openness and collaboration. As an example, they have stated that when working with a patient who is at risk of developing pressure injuries, they have to make sure to frequently reposition the patient and record the same (Kibria, 2025). This was an indication of responsibility and the quality of care. Moreover, my preceptor acted as a mentor as she helped me to reason clinically and promote evidence-based interventions and explained how leadership can play out in the delivery of proper implementation of evidence-based practices.
Collaboration with Preceptor
The PICOT question and survey tool was created with the help of collaboration with my preceptor. After extensive discussions, we identified pressure injury prevention as a priority clinical problem due to its impact on patient outcomes and hospital expenditures. My preceptor also gave me helpful feedback regarding how to be clearer and more clinical in refining the PICOT question (Cordina et al., 2025). They also helped me to come up with survey questions that would help to get valid information about nursing practices. As an example, they stressed the need to incorporate the questions related to the repositioning frequency and documentation practices. This team process enabled me to advance my knowledge of teamwork and interaction in various fields. It has also taught me a lot in applying theoretical knowledge to clinical problems, which further ratifies the importance of mentorship in nursing practice.
Survey Tool Development
A survey questionnaire was designed to help measure nursing practices with regard to pressure injury prevention. The purpose of the survey was to discover knowledge and practice gaps among healthcare providers.
Survey Questions
- How frequently do you change the position of patients with a risk of pressure injuries?
- Do pressure injury risk assessments occur regularly?
- Do you record patient repositioning in patient records?
- What are the impediments to the regular repositioning of patients?
- Are pressure-relieving devices available and used appropriately?
- Have you been trained on preventing pressure injuries?
- How confident are you in preventing pressure injuries?
The questionnaire was structured clearly and prominently with short answers to ensure we gathered high-quality information.
Findings and Data Analysis of Surveys
The results of the survey were analyzed and presented using bar graphs and pie charts to understand better and visualize the results.
Key Findings
- 7/10 said that they turned patients regularly.
- 30% were inconsistent in their repositioning.
- 65% documented repositioning consistently
- 35% reported documentation gaps
- A third mentioned workload as a major hindrance (60%).
- Three-quarters had had previous training on pressure injury prevention.
The graphical visuals pointed to trends and differences in the practice. As an illustration, despite most of the nurses understanding the importance of repositioning, there was an inconsistency in practice and documentation. These results imply that even with this knowledge, there are obstacles to implementation, including workload and time constraints. This supports the need for certain interventions to improve by following evidence-based guidelines.
Effect on Patient Care.
Prevention of pressure injuries in hospitals has a direct impact on patient safety, recovery, and healthcare spending. Regular repositioning schedules can help a great deal in decreasing pressure injury incidents and enhancing patient outcomes. According to Ominyi and Alabi (2025), interventions based on evidence could help to enhance patient satisfaction and quality of care. Healthcare providers will be in a position to offer safer and more effective care with the identification of gaps. The continuity of care due to improved documentation practices and the workload issue due to improved adherence to repositioning measures would be examples. In the end, such enhancements lead to improved patient outcomes and fewer complications.
Clinical Learning Experience
As part of my clinical placement, I participated in a variety of activities, and they were connected with meeting with my preceptor, patient rounds, and discussing research. I participated directly in the designing of the survey, gathering of data, and results analysis. The experience has enabled me to enhance my critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. I understood better the way evidence-based practice can be applied in clinical practice. I also learned the value of collaboration, leadership, and lifelong learning in nursing. The experience also made me more confident in doing research and implementing the results to enhance patient care.
Conclusion
Overall, the significance of evidence-based practice in the prevention of hospital-acquired pressure injuries was noted in this project. I then gained the opportunity to develop a pertinent PICOT question, survey, and analyze the data that allowed me to identify the gaps in practice by working with my preceptor. The results indicated that there was a need to enhance compliance with repositioning instructions and documentation. Evidence-based interventions can assist the medical fraternity in contributing to better patient outcomes and preventing complications. This has strengthened my ability to conduct research in clinical practice and improve the quality of healthcare.
References
Cordina, J., Rolls, K., & Sim, J. (2025). Nurses’ Clinical Decision‐Making About Pressure Injury Prevention in Hospital Settings: A Scoping Review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 81(9), 5763. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16776
Kibria, M. G. (2025). Leadership Styles and Delegation Practices of Head Nurses as Perceived by Senior Staff Nurses at a Hospital in Bangladesh. Journal of Nursing Management, 2025, 5184762. https://doi.org/10.1155/jonm/5184762
Ominyi, J., & Alabi, A. (2025). Enhancing Evidence-Based Practice Implementation in Acute Care: A Qualitative Case Study of Nurses’ Roles, Interprofessional Collaboration, and Professional Development. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 57(4), 517–529. https://doi.org/10.1177/08445621251351056
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Assignment Questions / Requirements
1. Introduction
- Briefly introduce your clinical experience
- State the purpose of the assignment
- Clearly present your PICOT question or topic
2. Preceptor Leadership and Responsibilities
- Describe your preceptor’s leadership style
- Explain their key roles and responsibilities in the clinical setting
- Provide examples of how they support patient care and decision-making
3. Collaboration with Preceptor
- Explain how you worked with your preceptor
- Describe how your PICOT question or survey topic was developed
- Include discussions, feedback, and your level of involvement
4. Survey Tool Development
- Describe how the survey tool was created
- Explain what the survey is intended to measure
- Include a copy of the survey questions
5. Survey Results and Data Analysis
- Present the results of your survey
- Include percentages or numerical data
- Use graphs or charts to display findings
- Interpret the results (explain what they mean)
6. Impact on Patient Care
- Explain how your topic affects patient care
- Describe how findings can improve patient outcomes
- Link your results to evidence-based practice
7. Clinical Learning Experience
- Describe activities completed during clinical placement
- Reflect on what you learned
- Explain skills gained (e.g., communication, critical thinking)
- 8. Conclusion
- Summarize key points from your assignment
- Reinforce the importance of your topic in clinical practice
9. References (APA 7th Edition)
- Include peer-reviewed sources
- Use proper APA formatting
- Add in-text citations within your work