KNOWLEDGE OF NURSES/TECHNICIANS ON THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC WOUNDS IN RELATION TO THE LEVEL OF HEALTHCARE

It is estimated that 1 to 2% of the population in developed countries will experience a chronic wound during their lifetime. Nurses are leaders in applying innovations that can create positive results in preventing and treating chronic wounds in patients admitted to acute care hospitals. The aim of the research is to examine the knowledge of nurses-technicians about the knowledge of measures for the prevention and treatment of chronic wounds. In the research of knowledge on the treatment of chronic wounds, 349 respondents participated, employed at the primary and tertiary levels of health care. For the purposes of the research, the authors created a questionnaire based on a review of professional and scientific literature, as well as evidence in practice. The research was conducted through the Chamber of Nurses-Technicians of Sarajevo Canton and the Chamber of Tuzla Canton. Respondents from Sarajevo Canton worked significantly longer in practice, and 36.2% of respondents worked from 21 to 30 years, and 10.9% of respondents worked longer than 30 years, while among respondents from Tuzla Canton 34.8% of them, worked from 21 to 30 years and 9.9% worked for more than 30 years. 43.9% of respondents from Tuzla Canton and 39.6% of respondents from Sarajevo Canton had a certificate for the care of chronic wounds (X 2 = 9.077; p = 0.028). The assessment of knowledge is in a direct positive relationship with the level of health care (rho = 0.187; p = 0.001). Analysis of the knowledge in relation to the level of health care showed that respondents employed at the tertiary level of health care, have significantly better knowledge about the treatment of chronic wounds. We conclude that the assessment of knowledge is in a direct positive relationship with the level of health care