Pressure ulcer prevention and care: a survey of current practice

The incidence and management of pressure ulcers in hospitalised patients is an ongoing concern for nurses. Efforts to prevent pressure ulcer development are plagued with inconsistencies and a general lack of best practice guidelines. Establishing current practice approaches to the assessment, prevention and management of pressure ulcers is a necessary first step in the implementation of evidence-based/best practice guidelines. Anecdotal evidence suggested a range of different approaches were being used in a Sydney metropolitan area health service (AHS) to assess patients to identify those at risk, to prevent pressure ulcers and to treat existing ulcers. A collaborative research project was undertaken to examine current practice and to explore the apparent clinical variance. It involved the distribution of a questionnaire to registered nurses working within the AHS (n = 2113) and a review of nursing policy documents in the various hospitals in the health service area. While the overall response rate was satisfactory (40%) many of the returned questionnaires were incomplete. Only 21% (n = 444) of the questionnaires were deemed suitable for analysis. The findings highlight a range of inconsistencies within and across nursing practice domains. Nurses generally do not use a tool to assess pressure ulcer risk potential, but rely on a range of practice procedures and risk indicators to determine risk potential of developing pressure ulcers. Repositioning patients is the most common approach used in an attempt to prevent the development of pressure ulcers, but additional measures are diverse. Most nurses seem to be familiar with modern wound dressings such as hydrocolloids, foams and alginates in the treatment of second and third stage ulceration. However, the care provided by some nurses reflects an adherence to outdated practices, including the use of water filled gloves, povidone iodine and gauze packing.     

Nontraumatic spinal cord injury rehabilitation: pressure ulcer patterns, prediction, and impact

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics, predictors, and consequences of pressure ulcers in patients with nontraumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Retrospective, 3-year, case series. SETTING: Tertiary medical unit specializing in SCI rehabilitation. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive sample of 134 adult inpatient referrals with nontraumatic SCI. Patients requiring initial rehabilitation or readmission were included. INTERVENTION: Chart review. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome measures were presence of pressure ulcers on admission to rehabilitation, incidence of new pressure ulcers developing during hospitalization, and any complications attributable to pressure ulcers during inpatient rehabilitation. Secondary objectives were to examine the predictability of risk factors for pressure ulcers, to assess the usefulness of a model previously developed for predicting pressure ulcers in patients with chronic SCI, and to estimate the effect of pressure ulcers on rehabilitation of nontraumatic SCI. RESULTS: Prevalence of pressure ulcers among admissions was 31.3% (n=42). Only 2.2% (n=3) of patients developed a new pressure ulcer after admission. The length of stay (LOS) of patients admitted with a pressure ulcer was significantly longer than that of those without a pressure ulcer (geometric mean, 62.3 d for pressure ulcer vs 28.2 d for no pressure ulcer, P=.0001). Many previously identified risk factors for pressure ulcers in SCI patients did not apply to our nontraumatic SCI patients. It is estimated that the inpatient LOS for those patients with a significant pressure ulcer was increased by 42 days. CONCLUSIONS: Pressure ulcers are a common complication for people with nontraumatic SCI who are admitted for rehabilitation, and they have a significant impact on LOS.     

Pressure ulcer risk assessment immediately after cardiac surgery – does it make a difference? A comparison of three pressure ulcer risk assessment instruments within a cardiac surgery population

The intensive care unit (ICU) population has a high risk of developing pressure ulcers. According to several national expert guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention, a risk assessment for every situation in which the patient's condition is changing should be performed using a standardized risk assessment instrument. The aims of this study were to (a) assess the number of patients who are 'at risk' for the development of pressure ulcer according to three commonly used risk assessment instruments in the intermediate period after cardiac surgery procedures, (b) assess which instrument best fits the situation of the ICU patients and c) decide if 'static' risk assessment with an instrument should be recommended. The modified Norton scale, the Braden scale and the 4-factor model were used in a convenience sample of 53 patients to assess the risk for development of pressure ulcer in the first 5 days (in ICU) after cardiac surgery procedures. The number of patients at risk were >60% by the 4-factor model, >70% by the modified Norton scale and >80% by the Braden scale. Sensitivity and specificity in all scales were not satisfactory. Forty-nine per cent (n= 26) of the patients developed a pressure ulcer in the operating room, 13% (n= 7) up to day 5 in the cardiac surgery ICU. Only 1.9% (n= 1) of the pressure ulcers were stage 2. The study concluded that the patients in the cardiac surgery ICU can be identified as at risk during the first 5 days after surgical procedure without continuously using a standardized risk assessment instrument in every changing condition. Individual risk assessment by a standardized risk assessment instrument is only recommended to enable initiation of preventive measures based on patient-specific risk factors.     

Assessing risk and preventing pressure ulcers in patients with cancer

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for pressure ulcers that may place the patient with cancer at higher risk. The role of nursing to provide pressure ulcer preventive measures will be discussed. DATA SOURCES: Current research and published literature CONCLUSION: Research suggests that comprehensive prevention programs are effective in reducing pressure ulcer incidence rates and can be cost-effective. Comprehensive pressure ulcer prevention guidelines include risk assessment, skin care, offloading, and nutrition. Immobility places patients with cancer at greater risk. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses are at the forefront of predicting patients at risk for pressure ulcers and working with the multidisciplinary team to implement a pressure ulcer preventive program. There remains a dearth of research related to pressure ulcers and cancer. Research in this area is strongly suggested.     

Pressure ulcer risk factors in patients undergoing surgery

AIM: This paper reports a study to identify risk factors associated with pressure ulcer development among a mixed group of adult patients undergoing surgery. BACKGROUND: Few studies have been carried out with patients undergoing surgery to assess the risk of pressure ulcer development, and so there is a little knowledge of the risk factors for this group. However, studies among non-surgical patients have shown that nutritional predictors such as low serum albumin level and low body mass index (BMI) are of great importance. An additional predictive factor may be low blood pressure. It is important to study these predictors further among patients undergoing surgery, using techniques such as multiple regression techniques, designed to identify the most important predictors for pressure ulcer development. METHODS: A prospective comparative study was carried out in 1996-1998 with 286 adult patients undergoing surgical treatment. The data were collected from patient records by Registered Nurses preoperatively, for seven days postoperatively and thereafter once a week for up to 12 weeks. Perioperative data were also collected. The Risk Assessment Pressure Sore Scale was used, and data were collected on general physical condition, activity, mobility, moisture, food intake, fluid intake, sensory perception, friction and shear, body temperature and serum albumin. RESULTS: Forty-one (14.3%) patients developed pressure ulcers during the observation period. The most common type was non-blanchable erythema. Those who developed pressure ulcers were significantly older, weighed less, and had a lower BMI and serum albumin. More women than men developed pressure ulcers. Risk factors identified in multiple stepwise regression analyses were female gender, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) status or New York Heart Association (NYHA) status and food-intake. CONCLUSION: Special attention, with regard to risk of pressure ulcer development, should be paid to patients undergoing surgery who have low ASA or NYHA scores, low food intake and/or are women.     

Pressure ulcer risk in long-term units: prevalence and associated factors

AIM: This paper is a report of a study to assess pressure ulcer prevalence in a group of long-term units and to describe the main factors associated both with risk for and presence of a pressure ulcer. BACKGROUND: Despite being potentially preventable, pressure ulcers are highly frequent among institutionalized patients and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out, involving 571 patients from 10 long-term units in Rome, Italy. Healthcare staff in each unit evaluated pressure ulcer risk and collected clinical data while a single Registered Nurse assessed all patients to identify pressure ulcers. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for the two outcomes: condition at risk for pressure ulcers (Braden score < or = 16) and pressure ulcer presence. The data were collected in February-March 2005. FINDINGS: The overall prevalence of pressure ulcers was 27%. Multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant positive association between high-risk condition of pressure ulcer and previous stroke (OR = 1.96; 95% CI 1.30-2.96), previous trauma (OR = 1.83; 95% CI 1.12-2.99) and cognitive decline (OR associated with a 1 point Short Portable Mental State Questionnaire increase = 1.26; 95% CI 1.05-1.50). The model for pressure ulcer presence confirmed a statistically significant excess in patients with cardiovascular diseases (OR = 1.79; 95% CI 1.13-2.85), with high Activity of Daily Living scores (OR associated with a 1 point increase 1.38; 95% CI 1.03-1.84) and low Braden Scale scores (OR associated with a 1 point increase = 0.80; 95% CI 0.70-0.87). The risk of pressure ulcers according to number of full-time nurses and auxiliary staff per 10 beds lower than five was marginally statistically significant (OR = 1.60; 95% CI 0.98-2.61). CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to validate our findings and further prospective research is needed to identify ways of preventing pressure ulcers. Our data on staffing suggest that organizational factors should be taken into account when exploring determinants of pressure ulcers.     

The prevalence of pressure ulcers in four paediatric institutions

Aim and objective. Pressure ulcers are a common nursing care issue in hospitals. They are associated with psychological and physical suffering, an increased morbidity and mortality rate and higher overall health care costs. The aim of the current study is to describe the frequency of pressure ulcers in a paediatric care setting and to identify the population at risk, as well as to assess the factors predisposing to the development of pressure ulcers. Design. A point prevalence study. Methods. The study was conducted in four paediatric hospitals in the German‐speaking part of Switzerland and included children from the age of 0–18 years. The method of data collection was a direct systematic inspection and assessment of the skin, taking into account the clinical condition of the patient for risk assessment. A valid risk assessment and data collection instrument was used and, each patient was assessed by a previously instructed rater pair. Results. Of all possible patients, 81% (n = 155) were included. An overall pressure ulcer prevalence of 27·7% (including grade 1) was registered. Thirty‐six patients (84%) had grade 1 ulcers, including many caused by external medical devices. Sixty‐five per cent (n = 100) of all patients were considered at risk (Braden score ≤ 20) of developing a pressure ulcer. Thirty‐five per cent of patients in the risk group were afflicted with one or more pressure ulcers. Conclusions. The prevalence of pressure ulcers in paediatric patients is greater then previously appreciated and the problem requires further exploration. The high percentage of grade 1 pressure ulcers caused by medical devices requires nursing interventions to prevent lesions for these patients. Relevance to clinical practice. The high prevalence rate in paediatric patients is disconcerting and requires further exploration in terms of interventions needed to improve outcomes for this patient group.     

Immobility--a major risk factor for development of pressure ulcers among adult hospitalized patients: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors associated with pressure ulcer development among adult hospitalized medical and surgical patients. DESIGN: A prospective comparative study including 530 adult patients from medical and surgical wards. Registered Nurses made the data collection on admission and once a week for up to 12 weeks. The risk assessment scale used was the Risk Assessment Pressure Sore (RAPS) scale, including the following variables; general physical condition, activity, mobility, moisture, food intake, fluid intake, sensory perception, friction and shear, body temperature and serum albumin. RESULTS: Sixty-two (11.7%) patients developed 85 pressure ulcers. The most common pressure ulcer was that of nonblanchable erythema. Patients who developed pressure ulcers were significantly older, hospitalized for a longer time, had lower scores on the total RAPS scale, had lower weight and lower diastolic blood pressure than nonpressure ulcer patients did. In the multiple logistic regression analyses using variables included in the RAPS scale immobility emerged as a strong risk factor. When adding remaining significant variables in the analyses, mobility, time of hospitalization, age, surgical treatment and weight were found to be risk factors for pressure ulcer development. CONCLUSION: It is confirmed that immobility is a risk factor of major importance for pressure ulcer development among adult hospitalized patients. The results also indicate that the RAPS scale may be useful for prediction of pressure ulcer development in clinical practice.     

The quality of pressure ulcer prediction and prevention in home health care.

The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of pressure ulcer prediction and prevention in home health care. Randomly selected Medicare-certified home care agencies in four midwestern states were surveyed. The overall response rate was 44% (n = 128). Approximately half (57.8%) of the responding agencies assessed all patients for pressure ulcer risk upon admission; another 4.7% assessed only chair or bed-bound patients. Clinical nursing judgment was the most commonly (72%) used method for assessing risk; only 21% of the agencies used a validated tool such as the Braden Scale or the Norton Scale to identify those at risk. Approximately one third of the reporting agencies had prediction and/or prevention policies. Only 18.0% of home health care agencies identified recommended interventions in a pressure ulcer prevention protocol. Findings suggest opportunities for improvement in pressure ulcer prediction and prevention practice in home health care.     

Development of a new risk assessment scale for predicting pressure ulcers in an intensive care unit

Aims and objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the predictive validity and accuracy of a new pressure ulcer risk assessment scale in two Indonesia intensive care units (ICUs). Background: Several risk assessment scales have been designed to identify patients at risk of developing pressure ulcers in ICU. However, the relative weight of each variable that contributes to pressure ulcer development in these scales is not described to enable designing of a risk assessment scale. Currently, the risk factors contributing to pressure ulcer development include interface pressure, body temperature and cigarette smoking. Design: A prospective cohort study was conducted in two ICUs in Pontianak, Indonesia. Methods: A total of 253 patients were recruited to the study from both hospitals. Data collection included new risk assessment scale [i.e. the Suriadi and Sanada (S.S.) scale] scoring, demographic, pressure ulcer severity scores (based on the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel) and skin condition measures. Using the S.S. scale, trained data collectors scored patients once and assessed the body temperature daily until patients were discharged. Additionally, daily data were also collected in relation to the patient‘s skin condition and stage of pressure ulcer. Results: Out of the 253 patients, 72 (28·4%) developed pressure ulcers. In ICU A, the incidence was 27%; pressure ulcers developed into stage I (41·7%), stage II (45·8%), stage III (10·4%) and stage IV (2·1%). In ICU B, the incidence was 31·6%; the development of pressure ulcers was 48% in stage I and 52% in stage II. Using the predictive validity test, the S.S. scale balanced sensitivity (81%) and specificity (83%) at a cut‐off score of 4. The area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve was 0·888 (confidence interval: 0·84–0·93). Conclusion: The S.S. scale was found to be a valid risk assessment tool to identify the patients at risk of developing pressure ulcers in Indonesia ICU.     

Incidence of pressure ulcers in a neurologic intensive care unit

OBJECTIVES: To determine the risk factors for pressure ulceration in an intensive care setting, to evaluate the Braden scale as a predictor of pressure ulcer risk in critically ill patients, and to determine whether pressure ulcers are likely to occur early in the hospital stay. DESIGN: Cohort study of patients with no preexisting ulcers with a 3-month enrollment period. SETTING: The neurologic intensive care unit and the neurologic intermediate unit at a primary care/referral hospital with a level I trauma center. PATIENTS: A total of 186 patients entered the study. INTERVENTION: Within 12 hrs of admittance, initial assessment, photographs, and Braden score were completed. Patients were re-examined every 4 days or at discharge from the unit, whichever came first. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Determining risk factors for pressure ulcers, performing detailed statistical analyses, and testing the usefulness of the Braden score as a predictor of pressure ulcer risk. RESULTS: Twenty-three of 186 patients developed at least one pressure ulcer (incidence = 12.4%) after an average stay of 6.4 days. The Braden scale, which measures six characteristics of skin condition and patient status, proved to be a primary predictor of ulcer development. No ulcers developed in the 69 patients whose Braden score was 16 or higher. The likelihood of developing a pressure sore was predicted mathematically from the Braden score. However, being underweight was a significant and distinct factor in pressure ulcer development. CONCLUSIONS: Pressure ulcers may develop within the first week of hospitalization in the intensive care unit. Patients at risk have Braden scores of < or = 16 and are more likely to be underweight. These results suggest that aggressive preventive care should be focused on those patients with Braden scores of < or = 13 and/or a low body mass index at admission.     

Guideline implementation results in a decrease of pressure ulcer incidence in critically ill patients

OBJECTIVE: To describe the short-term and long-term effects of a hospital-wide pressure ulcer prevention and treatment guideline on both the incidence and the time to the onset of pressure ulcers in critically ill patients. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Adult intensive care department of a university medical center. PATIENTS: Critically ill patients (n = 399). INTERVENTIONS: A guideline for pressure ulcer care was implemented on all intensive care units. The attention of nurses for timely transfer to a specific pressure-reducing device was an important part of this guideline. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patient characteristics, demographics, pressure ulcer risk profile at admission, daily pressure ulcer grading, and type of mattress were determined to describe the short-term and long-term effects 3 and 12 months after the implementation. The incidence density of pressure ulcers grade II-IV decreased from 54 per 1000 patient days at baseline to 32 per 1000 days (p = .001) 12 months after the implementation. The median pressure ulcer-free time increased from 12 days to 19 days (hazard rate ratio, 0.58; p = .02). After adjustment for differences in risk factors in a Cox proportional hazard model, the number of preventive transfers to special mattresses was the strongest indicator for the decreased risk of pressure ulcers (hazard rate ratio, 0.22; p < .001). The number needed to treat to prevent one pressure ulcer during the first 9 days was six. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a guideline for pressure ulcer care resulted in a significant and sustained decrease in the development of grade II-IV pressure ulcers in critically ill patients. Timely transfer to a specific mattress (i.e., transfer before the occurrence of a pressure ulcer) was the main indicator for a decrease in pressure ulcer development.     

The identification of older nursing home residents vulnerable for deterioration of grade 1 pressure ulcers

Aims and objective. The objective of this study was to identify prognostic factors associated with the development of pressure ulcer lesions (grade 2–4) in nursing home patients with non‐blanchable erythema. Background. No studies could be found that identify risk factors for further development of pressure ulcer in patients with non‐blanchable erythema. For some patients with non‐blanchable erythema, standard preventive measures do not suffice to prevent pressure ulcers from deterioration. Identifying these patients beforehand can considerably contribute to the efficiency of pressure ulcer prevention. Design. Secondary data analyses of a previously conducted randomised controlled trial were performed. Methods. Eighty‐four wards of 16 Belgian nursing homes participated in the study. In total, 235 nursing home residents with a grade 1 pressure ulcer (non‐blanchable erythema) were included. All the residents received standard preventive care. Potential prognostic factors were collected using a standardised form. The incidence of pressure ulcers was recorded according to the European pressure ulcer classification system. Results. The cumulative pressure ulcer incidence was 18·7% (44/235). Hypotension (relative risk = 3·42, 95% CI = 1·56–7·49), a history of a cerebral vascular accident (relative risk = 1·94, 95% CI = 1·10–3·70) and contractures (relative risk = 2·02, 95% CI 1·03–3·95) were identified as independent predictive factors for developing pressure ulcers. Remarkably, being urinary incontinent decreased the risk of developing a pressure ulcer by 76%. Conclusions. In nursing home residents with non‐blanchable erythema, hypotension, contractures, and a history of cerebral vascular accident were independent risk factors for the development of pressure ulcer lesions. Relevance to clinical practice. Patients with non‐blanchable erythema who have hypotension, contractures or a history of cerebral vascular accident are in need of more intensive preventive measures. Identifying these patients can contribute considerably to a more efficient pressure ulcer prevention policy, resulting in a lower pressure ulcer lesion incidence and in lower costs.     

Effects of pressure ulcer prevention training among nurses in long-term care hospitals

BackgroundNurses caring for elderly patients with a high risk of pressure ulcer at long-term care hospitals require the necessary knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes regarding preventing pressure ulcers.ObjectivesTo identify the effects of pressure ulcer prevention training on nurses' knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes regarding pressure ulcer prevention.DesignA comparison group pretest-posttest design.SettingsLong-term care hospitals in a metropolitan area of the Republic of Korea.ParticipantsParticipants were conveniently assigned to team-based learning (n = 30) or lecture-based learning (n = 30) groups.MethodsWe examined pre-post differences in the scores for pressure ulcer prevention knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes in each group using the paired t-test. Additionally, pre-post difference scores were compared between the two groups using the independent samples t-test.ResultsBoth groups exhibited significant increases in scores for pressure ulcer prevention knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes after the intervention as compared before it. However, we found no significant differences in the pre-post difference scores for any of the variables between the two groups.ConclusionsPressure ulcer prevention training, regardless of whether it utilizes team-based or lecture-based learning, is useful for enhancing nurses' pressure ulcer prevention knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes. Further study is needed to verify the longitudinal effects of pressure ulcer prevention training on nurses' actual performance and the incidence of pressure ulcers among patients.     

The Braden Scale for pressure ulcer risk: evaluating the predictive validity in Black and Latino/Hispanic elders.

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive validity of the Braden scale in predicting pressure sore risk and to determine the physiological and nonphysiological variables associated with the prediction of pressure ulcers in Black and Latino/Hispanic elders. A prospective clinical design ws used to conduct the study. Among 74 patients aged 60 years or older, 24 patients (32%) developed either a stage 1 or stage 2 pressure ulcer. Black elders had a higher incidence rate (21%) than Latino/Hispanic elders (11%). A 2-tailed Fisher's exact test revealed that the Braden scale with a cutoff score of 18 was highly associated with predicting Black elders aged 75 years and older who were at risk of developing pressure ulcers (p < or = .011). Sensitivity was 81% and specificity was 100%. The female gender was also a highly significant factor in the development of pressure ulcers (chi 2(1, N = 49) = 6.4, p < or = .011). Overall, the Braden scale was found to be a valid tool in predicting pressure ulcer risk in Black elders aged 75 years or older when a cutoff score of 18 is used.     

Inter-rater reliability and Waterlow's pressure ulcer risk assessment tool

AIM: To ascertain whether a lack of inter-rater reliability with the original Waterlow (1996) pressure ulcer risk assessment scale is due to different perceptions of patients by nurses or different interpretations of Waterlow as a tool. METHOD: A sample of 110 qualified nurses, who used the Waterlow pressure ulcer risk assessment scale in their daily work and were delegates at five study days, were given a case study and an uncompleted copy of the tool. They were asked to complete a risk assessment for the patient. The risk assessment score obtained by delegates was analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test to measure the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference between the median of the nurses' scores and the patient's actual or 'gold standard' score. RESULTS: Nurses tend to over-rate (n=72, 65 per cent) rather than under-rate (n=25, 23 per cent) the patient's risk of developing a pressure ulcer. Only 13 of the 110 nurses (12 per cent) accurately rated the patient's score as 18. The Wilcoxon Test rejected the null hypothesis that there was no difference in the risk scores arrived at by individual nurses and the patient's actual score, that is, there is a significant difference between the scores obtained by the nurses in the study and the gold standard score. CONCLUSION: The results show poor inter-rater reliability when using the Waterlow pressure ulcer risk assessment scale. Part of the problem is that nurses are not using the tool in the way it was intended.     

Validity of the Waterlow scale for pressure ulcer risk assessment in the intensive care unit: a prospective analysis of 698 patients

Critically ill patients are at a particular risk for developing pressure ulcers. Yet until now, no sufficiently specific, validated pressure ulcer risk assessment instruments exist for critically ill patients. In a prospective study of 698 patients of medical intensive care unit (ICU), we therefore analyzed if the Waterlow scale is suitable for pressure ulcer risk assessment in the ICU. Only patients with no pressure ulcer on admission to the ICU were included. The Waterlow scale was used to assess pressure ulcer risk on admission to the ICU, and the number of points on the scale were analyzed with regard to pressure ulcers development in the course of the ICU stay (121 patients). Our results show that adequate pressure ulcer risk assessment on admission to the ICU is not possible with the Waterlow scale. Sensitivity and specificity reached their maximal values of 64.6% and 48.8%, respectively, at a comparably high cut-off of 30 points on the Waterlow scale (positive and negative likelihood ratio being 1.26 and 0.73, respectively). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.59 in the receiver-operator-characteristic curve. Adding intensive care related parameters to the scale yielded some degree of improvement (AUC 0.69), but the development of ICU specific pressure ulcer risk scales still seems to be necessary to allow reliable pressure ulcer risk assessment in the ICU.     

标准化防护流程在压疮管理中的应用

目的探讨标准化防护流程在提高压疮护理质量中的应用。方法成立压疮监控学组,制订压疮标准化护理评价量表,规范压疮评估与呈报,对住院压疮及高危患者从入院到出院整个过程都实施标准化防护流程,进行全程质量监控和效果评价。结果提高了护士对压疮的风险评估准确率和防护措施正确率(P0.01),降低了院内压疮发生率(P0.01),提高了院外带入压疮的治愈/好转率(P0.01)。结论标准化防护流程,能有效规范护理行为,保障护理措施落实到位,提高压疮防护质量和管理水平,有效保障患者安全。     

Patterns of recurrent pressure ulcers after spinal cord injury: identification of risk and protective factors 5 or more years after onset

OBJECTIVES: To identify risk and protective factors associated with a history of recurrent pressure ulcers among participants with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: A mail survey was used to identify factors associated with the presence or absence of recurrent pressure ulcers. SETTING: A large specialty hospital in the southeastern United States. PARTICIPANTS: All participants had traumatic SCI, were nonambulatory, 18 years or older, and had been injured at least 5 years. A total of 826 subjects participated, 633 of whom reported a pressure ulcer history that could be classified as to whether they did or did not have a history of recurrent pressure ulcers. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: History of pressure ulcers was measured by a single item that required participants to classify their history into 1 of 5 options, ranging from never having any pressure ulcers to having almost continuous pressure ulcers, often requiring hospitalization. Those who either never had a pressure ulcer or had them mostly for a short period after SCI onset were classified as nonrecurrent, whereas those who reported at least 1 per year were classified as recurrent. RESULTS: Seventy percent of the participants failed to report recurrent pressure ulcers (never had any or had them only immediately after SCI onset), whereas 13% reported a clear pattern of recurring pressure ulcers of 1 or more per year. Logistic regression analyses suggested several general behaviors were protective for recurrent pressure ulcers, including lifestyle, exercise, and diet. Yet none of the behaviors generally recommended during inpatient rehabilitation specifically to prevent pressure ulcers (eg, skin checks weight shifts) were associated with pressure ulcer history. Only 2 risk behaviors were identified (number of cigarettes smoked, use of medication for sleep), although several proxy variables were related to pressure ulcer history. CONCLUSIONS: Pressure ulcer history is a more viable measure of pressure ulcer outcomes than measures taken at a single point in time (current), over a brief period (eg, 1y), or those relying on critical events occurring at any time since SCI onset (ie, surgeries to repair pressure ulcers). A healthy lifestyle appears to be strongly associated with avoiding pressure ulcers, whereas the efficacy of specific prevention behaviors was not demonstrated. Problem solving and coping strategies should be targets for further research.