Barriers and facilitators to reporting medical device-related pressure ulcers: A qualitative exploration of international practice

Pressure ulcers are a complex healthcare issue. Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers are used as proxy measurements for the quality and safety of nursing care. Medical device-related pressure ulcers are mostly facility acquired, but their reporting has only recently been widely adopted. Consequently, we do not yet know what factors impact their reporting by registered nurses. To identify and systematically report determinants of the practice of medical device-related pressure ulcers reporting using the Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases checklist. Descriptive, explorative design using semi-structured interviews to explore barriers and facilitators to reporting medical device-related pressure ulcers. We undertook online, telephone, and face-to-face interviews with participants from 11 different countries. We interviewed 17 participants who represented acute care (Adult, Paediatrics), academia, and industry. Eleven participants were healthcare professionals with more than 10 years' experience in wound care. The interview recordings were transcribed and coded by the lead researcher. Data were analysed thematically using the codebook approach, and themes were developed inductively and deductively. Participants identified determinants of practice which clustered around four domains of the Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases checklist i) individual health professional factors, ii) professional interactions, iii) incentives and resources, and iv) capacity for organisational change. Knowledge, attitudes, workload, time, staffing, and perception of consequences, including financial, were identified as the main barriers to reporting. Factors supporting the practice were education, openness, and teamwork. Device procurement could take on characteristics of a barrier or facilitator depending on the organisation. Reporting medical device-related pressure ulcers has been adopted in healthcare institutions worldwide. Understanding what drives the reporting practice enables improvements in incident reporting, which consequently can lead to improvements in the quality of nursing care and patient safety.