RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Nurses in the field of wound care are increasingly being courted by the wound industry. OBJECTIVES: A survey regarding nurses' perceptions and participation in pharmaceutical marketing was conducted. METHODS: Based on existing instruments, a standardized questionnaire (39 items, 5-point Likert scale) was developed. It was sent electronically and by mail to all nursing members of the Austrian Society for Vascular Care (ÖGvP), the German Wound Healing Society (DGfW e. V.) and the Swiss Association for Wound Care (SAfW). RESULTS: 178 nurses participated in the survey (75 % women; aged 27 - 70 years [median 45], 0 - 40 years [median 9] practice in the area of the wound care). Only about one fourth of the respondents (23,0 %) did not participate in pharmaceutical marketing last year. Generally small gifts were more frequently received than expensive gifts. Most of the nurses valued inexpensive gifts, educational gifts and gifts with patient benefit as appropriate. The majority of respondents consider themselves as less influenceable in decision making, compared to physicians. CONCLUSIONS: The behavior and attitude of nurses are ambivalent. The occurrence of conflict of interest is partly justified by perceived patient benefit. Lack of knowledge about the topic and social desirability could be the cause of an uncritical attitude. For a more critical approach education and ethical standards are necessary.
