Pressure Area Care Essay

It is important to ensure the agreed care plan has been checked prior to undertaking the pressure area care because the care plan reflects the individuals current health issues, and the agreed way of how to best care for

2. ensure the agreed care plan has been checked prior to undertaking the pressure area care

2. Working according to the agreed ways means following the organisation’s policy and procedures in relation to pressure areas. It also means following the individual care plans and respecting the instructions in place. For example making sure a resident is turned every two hours, applying Cavilon cream on areas; fill in turning charts, prompt fluid intake. Under the duty of care a care assistant must always be aware of and raise concerns regarding possible pressure areas. Always record information in care plans accurately and in confidentiality.

The three layers that make up healthy skin: Epidermis, Dermis and Hypodermis. Epidermis is composed of keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium. This layer provides a thick, water proof protective covering over the underlying skins. The dermis layer is composed of primarily of dense, irregular, fibrous connective tissue that is rich in collagen and elastin. The dermis contains blood vessels, nerve ending, and epidermally derived cutaneous oranges such as sweat glands, sebaceous glands and hair follicles. The last layer is Hypodermis this layer is composed primarily of loose dead skin. The fat layer provides cushioning and insulation for

Skin is the largest organ on the body. It has two layers: the thin outer layer is made up of dead skin cells that are constantly shed and replaced by new cells. The thick inner layer is made up of blood vessels, nerves, and hair follicles, which contain glands. The glands in the hair follicles produce an oily substance called sebum, which keeps the skin and hair from drying out. Daily washing will keep the skin on the face and other areas of the body clean by removing the dirt, oil, and dead cells before they can accumulate.

J’s scenario is pressure ulcer. From analyzing Mr. J’s case one can see the correlation between the use of restraints and pressure ulcers. Obtaining data listed on the Braden Scale such as moisture, mobility, activity, and nutrition are important when assessing for pressure ulcer risks. Once the collected data indicates the patient is high risk then the established pressure ulcer protocol needs to be followed. Nurses will need to minimize friction, support bony surfaces, manage moisture, and maintain adequate nutrition to advance quality patient care. The other nursing-sensitive indicator in this case is restraints. As I have mentioned earlier the use of restraints in Mr. J’s case seems appropriate as he pose great fall risk which may further complicate his current health condition. However, it is important to perform a complete assessment on the parameters for restraint such as cognitive functioning, history of dementia, physical impairment, and drug interactions to determine the need for restraints. When restraint is clinically indicated, and the benefits outweigh the risks then protocol for restraints has to be followed. Once the patient is restrained, it is standard practice that restraints are to be removed as soon as possible, and the patient in restraints will need assistance to change position every two hours. B) To improve quality patient care throughout the hospital, the quality improvement department should scrutinize, and keep track of the

A pressure ulcers is ‘ a localised area of cellular damage resulting from direct pressure on the skin causing ischawmia, or from shearing or friction forces causing mechanical stress on the tissues’ (Chapman and Chapman 1981). Common places for pressure ulcers to occur are over bony prominences, such as the sacral area, heels, hip, and elbow. (NICE 2005)

* Use of risk assessment scales - risk assessments, pressure ulcer grading, and manual handling assessment tools.

A pressure ulcer is a localized injury to the skin usually over bony prominence, as a result of pressure, or pressure in combination with shear. It is estimated that 5 to 10 percent of patient admitted to the hospital acquire a pressure ulcer and it result in increased suffering, morbidity and mortality. The policy titled Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Managing Skin integrity provides direction for the nurses to prevent the development of pressure ulcer. It

There are three primary layers of the skin: the outer layer, the epidermis and the layer beneath, the dermis and the hypodermis. The epidermis is thin, tough and waterproof while protecting the body from outside bacteria invading the body. It also contains keratinocytes which are from the basal layer which is the deepest layer of the skin. The keratinocytes reach up to the epidermis, shed and new ones form again. The dermis is the second layer of the skin and is the thickest. It is made from fibrous and elastic tissues which are made from fibrillin, elastin and collagen to create the strength and flexibility. It also contains sweat and oil glands, nerve endings, blood vessels and hair follicles. Sweat glands help the body cool off during heat

For this unit you need to be able to undertake pressure area care for individuals, following the individual's care plan and risk assessment, and relevant protocols and procedures within your work area. It is aimed at prevention that is maintaining healthy skin and preventing breakdown.

Pressure Ulcer is a breakdown of skin appears on the skin over a very thin or bony prominence

Pressure Ulcers are a common issue for hospitals and long-term nursing facilities nationwide. Annually an estimated cost of $143 million is spent on hospital acquired conditions which include pressure ulcers (Kandilov, Coomer, & Dalton, 2014). Hospital acquired pressures ulcers are among the top five conditions (Kandilov, Coomer, & Dalton, 2014). Ultimately the first line of defense is prevention and therefore this paper will focus on a clinical practice guideline for deterring the pressure points that progress tissue breakdown and patient harm.

•Focused on eliminating injuries related to pressure and friction, in reference to mucosal pressure injuries. When the patient is admitted they are assigned a specific kind of surface to lay on. The different surface that they used were non-powered pressure-redistribution support surface, a dynamic powered alternating pressure support surface, or some other support surface that fit the patient's needs. Throughout the patient's stay it is reevaluated on whether or not they need to change surfaces. A common spot for mucosal pressure injuries is around a nasogastric tube or a endotracheal tube, they are reassessed every 12 hours.

For many hundreds of years, pressure sores have been recognized clinically. Throughout this time different pedagogies have been explicated to prevent patients from developing pressure sores (R. J. G. Halfens & M. Eggink 1995). What is more, less is known about the effectiveness of these methods. On account of this observation the author opted to recapitulate the fundamental care of preventing pressure sores among high risk individuals in a nursing home setting.