Pressure Ulcers

By Susan Cleveland, BSN, RN, WCC, CDP, NADONA Board Secretary

Certain patient populations—such as the critically ill, those with spinal cord-injuries, and bariatric individuals—need special interventions and support surfaces to prevent pressure ulcers. These recommendations address the unique needs of these special populations in relation to pressure redistribution, shear reduction, and microclimate control.

By Susan Cleveland, BSN, RN, WCC, CDP, NADONA Board Secretary

On occasion there are Administrators or a Director of Nursing who are amazed (not surprised) that despite their use of pressure-“relieving” mattresses and chair cushions, their facility is still experiencing in-house acquired pressure ulcers. Of course, a teaching moment presents itself, and the lesson begins. The items referred to are going to “redistribute” pressure, not relieve it, so there is either a lack of understanding or a misuse of terminology, and clarification is necessary

by Aletha Tippett MD

How do you prevent pressure ulcers? This is an interesting question and one that eludes many. Currently, I am involved in reviewing research proposals to prevent pressure ulcers (injuries). The funny thing is that there is nothing new. Everyone is using the same known techniques, just trying different forms. However, there is a proven way to prevent pressure ulcers and it was done years ago in a Cincinnati nursing home I was working in without any fanfare. The results from this nursing home wound care program were even published.¹

by Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

In March of 2017, regular readers of this blog may recall "Making a Daily Difference in Preventing Pressure Injuries." I imagined a wonderful facility where staff went about their duties with a corner of their brain always attentive to how patients' diagnoses, activities, and comorbidities could affect the tendency to develop a pressure injury (ulcer). Magically, the appropriate prevention occurred.

by Aletha Tippett MD

Medical providers, and especially wound care providers, seem to always be under the looming shadow of lawsuits and legal issues. I have written about this before, but it continues to be an issue as I receive requests for legal reviews repeatedly. I have read many charts for legal reviews, and it actually is very straightforward to avoid or mitigate any legal problems.

By Diane L. Krasner, PhD, RN, FAAN

Editor's note:This blog post is part of the WoundSource Trending Topics series, bringing you insight into the latest clinical issues and advancement in wound management, with contributions by the WoundSource Editorial Advisory Board.

by Nancy Munoz, DCN, MHA, RDN, FAND

Nutrition is a major determinant of health status. Food, as a vital source of nutrition, not only is essential to physiological well-being, but also impacts one's quality of life culturally, socially and psychologically.

by the WoundSource Editors

Pressure ulcers/injuries pose a major risk to patients by increasing morbidity and mortality and causing significant discomfort.¹ They are also prevalent, particularly in long-term care facilities, where patient populations may be at higher risk of developing pressure injuries as a result of factors of age, immobility, and comorbidities.² To reduce the incidence of pressure injuries effectively, nurses and other health care professionals should be aware of the risk factors and the means to evaluate patients. This will allow caregivers to take steps to prevent problems before they develop and treat them more effectively if they do.

by the WoundSource Editors

Pressure ulcers/injuries are among the most costly and prevalent conditions faced by health care professionals. It is estimated that in the United States alone, pressure injuries cost up to $11.6 billion each year with an estimated per-injury cost of $20,900 to $151,700.¹ The elderly, individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes, and those with limited mobility are significantly more likely to develop pressure injuries than other patients. It is extremely important that health care professionals understand best practice treatments to help reduce the severity and longevity of these wounds.

By Cheryl Carver LPN, WCC, CWCA, CWCP, FACCWS, DAPWCA, CLTC

I consider myself to be beyond blessed. I know that my purpose in life is to be useful, compassionate, and to make a difference in wound care… In any capacity I can. I have no problem sharing my mother's story with my patients. I think it shows that I am genuine and compassionate. I do whatever works to help my patients understand the importance of pressure injury prevention and/or treatment. My point is: do whatever works. It is good to think outside of the box!