Risk Factors

by the WoundSource Editors

Best practice in skin care focuses on the prevention of skin breakdown and the treatment of persons with altered skin integrity. When we ask what causes skin damage we should consider the conditions that can harm the skin, including excessive moisture and overhydration, altered pH of the skin, the presence of fecal enzymes and pathogens, and characteristics of incontinence such as the volume and frequency of the output and whether the output is urine, feces, or both. If left untreated or not treated appropriately, moisture-associated skin damage or MASD can lead to further complications such as Candida infections, bacterial overgrowth, pressure injuries, and medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI). These can occur individually or overlap, which can make them even more difficult to manage. Today our focus is to discuss each of these complications of MASD in more detail and address some of the most common issues leading to their development.

Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine Journal Review Club
Editor's note: This post is part of the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (TUSPM) journal review club blog series. In each blog post, a TUSPM student will review a journal article relevant to wound management and related topics and provide their evaluation of the clinical research therein.

by Nancy Munoz, DCN, MHA, RDN, FAND

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 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

Nurses and other health care professionals providing care to patients regularly face challenges that can make it more difficult to perform routine tasks and ensure patient comfort and well-being, especially with regard to pressure ulcer/injury prevention and treatment. From a lack of mobility to chronic diseases, these challenges often coincide and interplay, creating unique risks and complications in managing the care of patients. To address these issues effectively, it is important to be aware of key best practice techniques for preventing pressure injuries and to stay proactive. This blog provides a brief overview of three of the most common patient challenges related to pressure injury prevention and offers strategies for effectively addressing each.

By Hy-Tape International

Infections are one of the most serious complications associated with wounds. Even for wounds resulting from clean surgery, studies find the infection rate to be 8% among the general population, and 25% among those above 60 years old.¹ This makes infection prevention one of the most important components of effective wound management. By implementing wound care best practices using effective, sterile medical tape, nurses and other health care professionals can make dressings more secure and reduce the risk of cross contamination, improving patient outcomes and promoting rapid wound healing.^2,3,4

By Martin D. Vera LVN, CWS

In this last of our three-part series on lower extremity wounds, we will focus our attention on diabetic foot/neuropathic ulcers. Research indicates that the United States national average for diabetes mellitus (DM) accounts for a little over 8% of the nation, or roughly over 18 million Americans afflicted with this disease—what the industry refers to "the silent killer" for the amount of damage it causes. DM has the capacity to affect vision and circulation, as well as increase the incidence of stroke and renal disease, just to name a few associated problems. Over 20% of individuals with diabetes will develop ulcerations, with a recurrence rate of over 50% for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) alone. Overall, lower extremity wounds have recurrence rate of 40-90%. We have our work cut out for us. So, let's put our deuces up, recognize early intervention, and try our best to manage and prevent complications associated with DM.

By Miranda Henry, Editorial Director of WoundSource

Twenty years ago, WoundSource™ became the first-ever comprehensive wound care reference guide for clinicians. It contained just nine product categories and did not yet include such innovations as hand-held wound assessment systems and cellular-based wound treatments, which have now become a part of standard wound management practice.

By Martin D. Vera, LVN, CWS

Wound clinicians across the nation (and the world) are commonly faced with the difficult task of managing lower extremity wounds. Lower extremity wounds come in many different forms. We are not faced with a generic type, but several—in fact, we never know what we'll be presented with day-to-day.

By Margaret Heale, RN, MSc, CWOCN

It has become quite easy to look at pressure ulcer prevention in most health care settings. From acute care, through the ED and on to the OR and ITU, then to the various floors of med surg, orthopedic, not forgetting rehab and community nursing. Pediatric and neonatal units have better defined pressure ulcer risk assessment tools to utilize that have made assessment and planning care much less haphazard for those patients than in the past.