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Abstract
Background: Diabetic foot ulcers are among the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus and contribute significantly to morbidity, hospitalization, lower-limb amputation, and healthcare costs. Nurses play a pivotal role in diabetic foot wound management, making competency-based training essential for improving evidence-based clinical practice.
Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured competency-based training intervention in enhancing nurses' diabetic foot wound management practices at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan.
Methods: A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test study was conducted among 54 registered nurses selected through convenience sampling. The sample size was calculated using the G*Power calculator. Baseline practice was assessed using a structured competency checklist before the intervention. Participants then received a structured competency-based training program comprising lectures, demonstrations, hands-on practice, and competency assessment. Post-intervention practice was evaluated using the same checklist. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive statistics summarized participant characteristics, while a paired-samples t-test compared pre-test and post-test practice scores. Statistical significance was set at p < .05.
Results: The mean practice score increased significantly from 19.18 ± 4.35 before the intervention to 31.42 ± 3.28 after the intervention. The paired-samples t-test demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in nurses' diabetic foot wound management practices (t = 19.86, p < .001). The proportion of nurses with good practice increased from 11.1% to 75.9% following the training.
Conclusion: The structured competency-based training intervention significantly improved nurses' diabetic foot wound management practices. Regular competency-based educational programs should be integrated into continuing nursing education to strengthen evidence-based practice and improve patient outcomes.