Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

Pressure ulcers or bedsores are injuries that occur on the skin surface when it is exposed to too much pressure. These injuries can occur to any individual, but the most affected population is sick people who are confined in bed, or people who sit in a wheelchair or chair for long periods. The major risk factors that predispose individuals to this ailment include immobility, health problems which limit blood flow, poor nutrition, and loss of sensation due to impairment of sensory perception. This study focuses on developing a PICOT statement that will aid in limiting the incidences of pressure ulcers in nursing facilities. Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

Picot statement

Problem (Pressure ulcers in nursing facilities)

Patients in nursing facilities are at a higher risk of contracting pressure ulcers because their poor health may cause them to lack the energy to adjust their bed elevations regularly. This population also experience mobility problems, and they may also fail to detect the injuries in good time due to lack of sensory perceptions (Stechmiller, 2010). Too much pain because of other ailments may also cause them to underestimate the effects of pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers is thus a significant healthcare problem in nursing facilities that need to be checked. Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

Intervention (Proper nutrition)

Though pressure ulcers are popularly known to be caused by immobility problems, poor nutrition also plays a substantial role in influencing the disease. Failing to include sufficient vitamins, minerals, calories, proteins, and fluids in the patients’ diet in order to maintain healthy skin predisposes the patients to more risk of contracting pressure ulcers (Shahin et al., 2010). This study will thus involve provision of patients in nursing facility A with all the necessary food materials for maintaining a healthy skin. A change in diet will thus have to occur, and nurses in the nursing facility will oversee the implementation of the intervention. Nurses in the care facility will however, be enlightened on the specific nutritional foods that should be given to the patients. Other factors that predispose patients to pressure ulcers will remain unaltered. Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

Comparison (Patient population not currently receiving the intervention)

The results of the intervention will be compared to a nursing facility B that will not have adopted the intervention. Nursing facility B will also be monitored throughout the experiment though no intervention will be executed.

Outcome (Less patient ulcers in nursing care facilities)

The results of the experiment show that the instances of pressure ulcers in the nursing facility reduced significantly since the time the intervention was implemented. The results thus implied that poor nutrition plays a vital role in causing pressure ulcers, and thus implementing proper nutrition can help significantly in reducing the effects. When the results were compared with those of nursing facility B, which had not received the intervention, the facility was found to have increased the instances of pressure ulcers.

Timeframe (Period before and after the intervention)

The intervention program in this study took a period of three months, and it involved patients in nursing facilities who had significant immobility challenges. Proper nutrition was given preference because it would help in maintaining a healthy skin, and hence the skin would be more resilient to pressure ulcers (Stechmiller, 2010). Before implementation of the intervention program records about pressure ulcers on the patient population were taken so that they could be compared with the end results of the intervention.

References

Shahin, E. S., Meijers, J. M. M., Schols, J. M. G. A., Tannen, A., Halfens, R. J. G., & Dassen, T. (2010). The relationship between malnutrition parameters and pressure ulcers in hospitals and nursing homes. Nutrition, 26(9), 886-889.

Stechmiller, J. K. (2010). Understanding the role of nutrition and wound healing. Nutrition in clinical practice, 25(1), 61-68. Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

High cases of pressure ulcers are recorded with patients who have been admitted to hospitals. It is a skin and tissue which is highly identified with people who are bed-bound or those people who have little or no mobility. Therefore, it is a condition that I have seen with most patients who have been admitted to the hospital. This condition is therefore important and needs to be addressed in order to come up with solutions on how to deal with it.

Pressure ulcers can be described as a condition where the skin and the underlying tissues are injured due to applied pressure on that point for a very long time. It is also referred to as bed sore (Chauhan, 2012). It affects areas which are bony such as elbows and knees. The major symptom of pressure ulcers are deep wounds at the affected area. In severe cases, the wounds may reach the bones and this may cause other complications on the patient if not treated. It mainly affects older people and patients who have been confined in their hospital bed (Jaul, 2010). However, it is a manageable condition especially if treated at an early stage. Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

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The impact of Pressure ulcers on the working environment is that it has led to the incorporation of more specialized care on the patients. The nurses have to change the patient’s position frequently. This further implies that nurses have to be more careful and offer additional help to the patients. However, it impacts the patient negatively. Pressure ulcers lead to other complications that in turn lead to death. It is a condition that also comes with a lot of pain, discomfort and more days in hospitals (Professor, 2009).

The significance of this topic is that it has brought awareness of Pressure ulcers. People are now aware of this condition and are taking measures to prevent it (R, 2008). One implication on nursing is that nursing patterns have to change. This is because when dealing with pressure ulcers, special attention is given to patients. Also, the nurses have to take initiative to educate patients on ways to deal with Pressure ulcers. With Pressure ulcers awareness, patients will comply more and adhere to the measures of managing pressure ulcers. Therefore the main implication on nursing is creating awareness to patients and guiding them on how to deal with pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

As a solution to this problem, nurses should be engaged in a health program dealing with Pressure ulcers. Under these programs, the nurses will be equipped with skills and knowledge on how to deal with patients with pressure ulcers (Irene M.JankowskiR.N, 2011). They will also learn how to detect pressure ulcers at early stages. Another solution to this problem is the availability of equipment for measuring pressure on the vulnerable areas. This will help in the detection of pressure ulcers before they become severe (Jill Cox, 2011). Finally, a health program for patients raising the awareness of Pressure ulcers is very important. This is because they will have the basic information on how to prevent, detect and deal with pressure ulcers (Levine, 2012)

In conclusion, Pressure ulcers have been on the rise and they have to be dealt with. Having identified who it affects, how it is treated and managed, it is up to the nurse, patients, and the public to apply actions which will lead to a reduction of Pressure ulcers cases. In doing this, we will overcome this problem of Pressure Ulcers. Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

References

Chauhan, K. A. (2012). Pressure ulcers: Back to the basics. Indian Journal of plastic surgery .

Irene M.JankowskiR.N, D. M. (2011). Identifying Gaps, Barriers, and Solutions in Implementing Pressure Ulcer Prevention Programs. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety .

Jaul, E. (2010). Assessment and Management of Pressure Ulcers in the Elderly. Drugs & Aging .

Jill Cox, R. P. (2011). Predictors of Pressure Ulcers in Adult Critical Care Patients. The Standard for critical care and progressive care nursing education . Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

Levine, J. M. (2012). Pressure Ulcer Knowledge in Medical Residents: An Opportunity for Improvement. Skin and Wound care .

MD, C. K. (n.d.). Human skin wounds: A major and snowballing threat to public health and the economy. The International journal of tissue repair and regeneration .

Professor, C. G. (2009). Impact of Pressure Ulcers on Quality of Life in Older Patients: A Systematic Review. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society .

R, F. (2008). Decreasing the incidence of heel pressure ulcers in long-term care by increasing awareness: results of a 1-year program. Europe PMC Pressure ulcers prevention in nursing facilities

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