Wound care self-efficacy among nurses in Iran: a cross-sectional analytical study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Nurse self-efficacy in wound care is considered relevant to the quality of assessment, treatment and patient education, yet evidence from Iran is limited. This study measured wound-care self-efficacy among Iranian nurses and examined demographic, educational and workplace factors associated with self-efficacy. In this cross-sectional analytical study an online survey (43-item Wound Care Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, WCSEQ) was distributed to nurses across Iran via internal social apps. A total of 948 nurses completed the questionnaire (mean completion time 15 min; 84% of those who started the questionnaire completed it). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 19. Normality was assessed with the Shapiro–Wilk test. Group comparisons used non-parametric tests with Bonferroni-corrected post-hoc pairwise comparisons; multivariable linear regression examined factors independently associated with WCSEQ scores. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The overall mean WCSEQ score was 209.08 ± 40.60 (out of 301), equivalent to 69.4% of the maximum possible score and within the study-defined “moderate-to-high” descriptive benchmark. Subscale means were 34.89 ± 7.04 for Anatomy and Physiology, 104.23 ± 23.12 for Care of Chronic and Acute Wounds, 43.16 ± 9.52 for Wound Management and Evaluation, and 26.79 ± 5.26 for Values and Attitudes. Univariate analyses demonstrated significantly higher total WCSEQ scores among nurses with wound/stoma care specialization, wound workshop attendance, longer workshop duration, direct wound care experience, higher monthly patient caseloads, wound clinic availability, collaboration with wound clinics, and greater familiarity with guidelines (all p < 0.05). In the multivariable linear regression model, the model explained 29.2% of the variance in total WCSEQ scores (R² = 0.292, adjusted R² = 0.272; F(26,920) = 14.58, p < 0.001). Higher guideline familiarity showed the strongest independent association with WCSEQ scores, with standardized β coefficients ranging from 0.211 to 0.431 relative to very low familiarity (all p < 0.001). Direct wound care experience (β = 0.120, p < 0.001), wound and stoma care specialization (β = 0.104, p = 0.005), cumulative years of experience (β = 0.114, p < 0.001), collaboration with a wound clinic (β = 0.073, p = 0.029), and willingness to participate in more workshops (β = 0.059, p = 0.039) were also independently associated with higher overall WCSEQ scores. Iranian nurses’ overall self-reported wound care self-efficacy fell within the study-defined “moderate-to-high” descriptive range (69.4% of the maximum score). Higher familiarity with clinical practice guidelines, direct wound care experience, wound and stoma care specialization, and collaboration with wound clinics were independently associated with higher perceived self-efficacy among nurses, and workshop duration > 30 h was independently associated with higher scores in two domains (Anatomy and Physiology; Wound Management and Evaluation) but not with the total score. Because of the cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, these findings reflect associations and should not be interpreted as causal. Whether structured continuing education programs, interprofessional clinic collaboration, and integration of national wound care guidelines into routine clinical workflows would increase nursing self-efficacy or improve wound care practices should be examined in longitudinal and interventional studies. Not applicable.
Source: BMC Nursing
Language: English
Topic: Wound Healing and Treatments
Subfield: Rehabilitation
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
OpenAlex ID: W7222820620
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