Hyeyoung Msn Lee

Background/Objectives: Pressure injuries and diabetic foot ulcers are prevalent chronic wounds requiring nurses to provide prevention, assessment, treatment, and education, especially in community settings in Korea. Although knowledge–practice gaps have been reported for both conditions, evidence remains limited on which interventions should be prioritized for education. This study assessed community-based nurses’ perceived importance and self-reported performance of pressure injury management and diabetic foot care interventions to identify educational priorities using the Borich needs assessment and the Locus for Focus model. Methods: A descriptive survey was conducted with 128 registered nurses, fewer than the a priori minimum of 210. Participants rated the perceived importance and self-reported performance of 18 pressure injury interventions and 10 diabetic foot interventions on 3-point scales. Educational priorities were determined using the Borich needs assessment and the Locus for Focus model. Results: Perceived importance was significantly higher than self-reported performance for pressure injury management (1.79 ± 0.29 vs. 1.61 ± 0.47; discrepancy = 0.177; Borich = 0.316; t = 3.968, Cohen’s d_z = 0.35, p < 0.001) and diabetic foot care (1.76 ± 0.31 vs. 1.53 ± 0.51; discrepancy = 0.228; Borich = 0.401; t = 5.143, d_z = 0.45, p < 0.001). First-priority educational needs for pressure injury management centered on treatment interventions and positioning/repositioning, whereas diabetic foot priorities emphasized preventive foot care and patient education. Conclusions: First-priority educational needs were identified separately for pressure injury management and diabetic foot care. The findings can inform the relative emphasis of continuing education content for community-based nurses.

Social determinants of health are major factors influencing individual’s health status, disease occurrence, and access to healthcare. However, limitations in the structured representation of social determinants of health using standardized terminologies hinder their use in nursing practice. The study aimed to identify items and value sets related to social determinants of health from existing conceptual frameworks and literatures and to examine the coverage of these concepts in the SNOMED CT. A literature review of 4 major conceptual frameworks and reports was conducted to extract relevant items and value sets. The identified concepts were mapped to SNOMED CT, and the concept coverage was evaluated. A total of 645 items and value sets were identified, of which 538 (83.4%) were successfully mapped, and 417 (73.0%) were semantically exactly matched. The results provide a standardized and interoperable reference for documenting social determinants of health, enabling systematic assessment of patients’ social risk factors and supporting clinical decision-making and nursing interventions in both clinical and community settings.

Background/Objectives: Pressure injuries are a significant concern among older adults, particularly in community-based long-term care settings where prolonged immobility is prevalent. This study aimed to identify factors influencing sacral interface pressure in community-dwelling older adults, with an emphasis on support surface usage and clinical risk indicators. Methods: A total of 210 participants aged 65 years and older, all receiving long-term care services in South Korea, were enrolled in this study. Sacral interface pressure was measured in the supine position using a portable pressure mapping device (Palm Q7). General characteristics, Braden Scale scores, Huhn Scale scores, and mattress usage were assessed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Results: Mattress non-use was identified as the strongest predictor of elevated sacral interface pressure (OR = 6.71, p < 0.001), followed by Braden Scale scores indicating moderate risk (OR = 4.8, p = 0.006). Huhn Scale scores were not significantly associated with interface pressure. These results suggest that support surface quality and skin condition have a stronger impact on interface pressure than mobility-related risk factors. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of providing high-quality pressure-relieving mattresses and implementing standardized nursing assessments to reduce the risk of pressure injuries. Integrating smart technologies and expanding access to advanced support surfaces may aid in developing tailored preventive strategies for vulnerable older adults.