Pressure ulcers
While working at the hospital recently, I came across a wound dressing that needed attention. I gathered all the necessary materials to perform the wound care. As I was opening the dressing, the severity of the wound became noticeable. It had been a long time since I had seen a wound so large and deep. That made me think a little more about pressure ulcers.
What is a pressure ulcer?
Pressure ulcers are defined by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI, n.d.) as a skin injury and/ or underlying tissue as result or combination of pressure, shear, or friction in most cases over bone prominence. Interesting to note that pressure ulcers are preventable in the majority of cases.
Based on my recent observations, I found a few components that are constantly present in patients with pressure ulcers.
There are around 2.5 million people affected by pressure ulcers in the United States; out of those affected, about 60 000 die as a result of pressure ulcer complications. Pressure ulcers constitute the second leading type of lawsuit with more than 17 000 according to the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ, 2014).
Prevention AHRQ recommends following certain guidelines to prevent pressure ulcers in the hospital setting. They advise a comprehensive and standardized pressure ulcer skin assessment. In addition to careful consideration of risk areas identified during the assessment (AHRQ, 2014).
Use of technology in the hospital setting for prevention
A technological related approach to prevent pressure ulcers would be the implementation of a specialty mattress. I recently came across the Dolphin Fluid Immersion Simulation mattress at my facility and decided to look for more information.
This mattress reduces soft tissue distortion and promotes blood flow. According to Universal Hospital Services, the Dolphin FIS is clinically effective at accelerating the healing of advanced stage wounds, multiple pressure ulcers, flaps, skin grafts, burns and other wound conditions.
Articles on the Web about pressure ulcers.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4413488/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912087/
http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/content/20/5/376.short
https://journals.lww.com/nursing/Fulltext/2014/04000/Nursing2014_survey_results__Wound_care_and.9.aspx
References
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (n.d.). Pressure Ulcers. Retrieved from http://www.ihi.org/Topics/PressureUlcers/Pages/default.aspx
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2014). Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/pressureulcertoolkit/index.html
Pressure ulcers are defined by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI, n.d.) as a skin injury and/ or underlying tissue as result or combination of pressure, shear, or friction in most cases over bone prominence. Interesting to note that pressure ulcers are preventable in the majority of cases.
Based on my recent observations, I found a few components that are constantly present in patients with pressure ulcers.
- incontinence
- immobility
- altered mental status
- absence of family members or caregiver
- age
There are around 2.5 million people affected by pressure ulcers in the United States; out of those affected, about 60 000 die as a result of pressure ulcer complications. Pressure ulcers constitute the second leading type of lawsuit with more than 17 000 according to the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ, 2014).
Prevention AHRQ recommends following certain guidelines to prevent pressure ulcers in the hospital setting. They advise a comprehensive and standardized pressure ulcer skin assessment. In addition to careful consideration of risk areas identified during the assessment (AHRQ, 2014).
Use of technology in the hospital setting for prevention
A technological related approach to prevent pressure ulcers would be the implementation of a specialty mattress. I recently came across the Dolphin Fluid Immersion Simulation mattress at my facility and decided to look for more information.
This mattress reduces soft tissue distortion and promotes blood flow. According to Universal Hospital Services, the Dolphin FIS is clinically effective at accelerating the healing of advanced stage wounds, multiple pressure ulcers, flaps, skin grafts, burns and other wound conditions.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4413488/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912087/
http://ajcc.aacnjournals.org/content/20/5/376.short
https://journals.lww.com/nursing/Fulltext/2014/04000/Nursing2014_survey_results__Wound_care_and.9.aspx
References
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (n.d.). Pressure Ulcers. Retrieved from http://www.ihi.org/Topics/PressureUlcers/Pages/default.aspx
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2014). Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals. Retrieved from http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospital/pressureulcertoolkit/index.html
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