Prevalence of Incontinence‐Associated Dermatitis and Evaluation of Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Intensive Care Units

ABSTRACT Background Incontinence‐associated dermatitis (IAD) is a common yet preventable condition, but its management is often hindered by inadequate training and the lack of standardised protocols. Aim This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IAD in intensive care units (ICUs) and assess nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding its prevention and management. Study Design This study employed a cross‐sectional design and was conducted over a 1‐month period across all ICUs. The study was conducted from 1 February to 1 June 2024, in the adult internal medicine and surgical ICUs of a training hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Of 280 nurses, 200 met inclusion criteria, including at least 1 year of ICU experience and voluntary participation. Data were collected via a demographic form and the ‘Assessment Scale for Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in IAD Management’. Prevalence data were obtained through daily patient skin assessments over 1 month using the ‘Incontinence‐Associated Dermatitis and Severity Instrument’, evaluating 13 body areas and calculated based on diagnosed cases. Results The mean scores for nurses on the IAD aetiology and diagnosis knowledge, risk factors knowledge, attitudes and practices scales were 16.13 (SD 2.65), 21.74 (SD 2.63), 9.21 (SD 2.41) and 19.41 (SD 2.50), respectively. These results indicate that nurses had moderate knowledge but relatively low attitudes towards IAD prevention and suboptimal practice levels. The prevalence of IAD in the ICUs was found to be 11.2%. Although no significant relationships were observed between IAD prevalence and nurses' knowledge or attitudes, a significant negative relationship was identified between IAD prevalence and nurses' practice scores. Conclusion To reduce IAD prevalence, healthcare settings must implement evidence‐based nursing practices alongside continuous education, appropriate care conditions and standardised protocols. Future studies should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions in improving patient outcomes. Relevance to Clinical Practice This study highlights the high prevalence of IAD in ICUs and underscores the need for improved nursing practices in its prevention and management. Although nurses' knowledge and attitudes did not significantly impact IAD prevalence, their practices were closely linked to its occurrence. These findings suggest that enhancing practical skills through targeted education and standardised protocols could reduce IAD prevalence.