See the larger picture of pressure ulcer prevention

(Content courtesy of Wound Care Education Institute) When it involves stopping and treating pressure ulcers, traditional risk assessment tools don’t all the time tell the entire story. As nurses, we know the way pressure sores can negatively impact patients’ lives. This serious skin condition cannot only result in further complications and better costs, but may also prevent the patient from participating in rehabilitation and ultimately playing an lively role in society. It is vital to notice that the more nurses can do to properly assess pressure ulcers from the start, the higher they will help promote healing, reduce length of hospital stay, and improve recovery time. This, after all, involves using precious tools equivalent to the Braden Scale. However, once we have now determined the danger of pressure ulcers, we must always also apply an appropriate dose of clinical judgment. Here’s how: Click here to read the Wound Care Education Institute’s guidelines

It’s greater than only a risk assessment

The 2014 International Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers emphasize the importance of considering other aspects, and not only risk assessment, when determining risk levels and interventions for patients. As mentioned earlier, to accurately determine a patient’s risk, using traditional tools (equivalent to the Braden Scale) alone is not any longer considered sufficient. Because current skin condition is a key factor to think about when determining risk level and intervention, the rules recommend that a risk and skin assessment be performed inside eight hours of intake. Each time a risk assessment is accomplished, a skin assessment ought to be performed and documented. This applies to the patient’s entire stay in a care facility.

What else do you have to do?

When assessing the danger of pressure ulcers in a patient, it is incredibly essential to concentrate to the present condition of the skin. Is there redness that hardly fades and does it often appear on the identical bony prominences? Answering these kind of questions is vital. We all the time need to take a look at risk from a broader perspective after which consider additional information equivalent to psychosocial status, patient size, care setting, support area, laboratory data, and other sources. Look National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Preventing and Treating Pressure Ulcers: A Quick Guide for recommendations on risk factor assessment. In addition, our infographic provides detailed recommendations for performing skin and tissue assessments.

Are you on board?

Assessment of skin condition and the danger of pressure ulcers requires using clinical judgment, traditional assessment tools, and tools included in guidelines.