Nurses’ Perceptions Of A Pressure Ulcer Prevention Care

The main priority of the Veterans Affairs system is getting zero pressure ulcers. To achieve this goal, staff must be knowledgeable of the basic principles of skin disease, preventions, and treatments when providing care for the elderly patients. They provide education and training on the current evidenced-base practice on pressure ulcer preventions. The approach that has been effectively used is the care bundle (AHRQ, 2014). We

Quality improvement issues in healthcare focus on the care that patients receive and the outcomes that patients experience. Nurses play a major advocacy role for ensuring safe and quality care to all patients. Also, nurses share the responsibility in leading the efforts in improving patient care in all settings (Berwick, 2002). One of the ongoing problems plaguing hospitals and nursing homes is the development of new pressure ulcers in patients after admission. A pressure ulcer can be defined as a localized area of necrotic tissue that is likely to occur after soft tissue is compressed between a bony prominence and a surface for prolonged periods of time (Andrychuk, 1998). According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid,

The research article "What influences the impact of pressure ulcers on health-related quality of life? A qualitative patient-focused exploration of contributory factors" was recently published (2012) in the Journal of Tissue Viability by Gorecki, Nixon, Madill, Firth, and Brown. This is a qualitative study.

The primary goals for conducting nursing research are to generate new knowledge to promote positive outcomes for patients, enhance quality and cost-effectiveness of care, improve the healthcare delivery system, and validate the credibility of the nursing profession through evidence-based practice (Schmidt & Brown, 2012). The purpose of this paper is to explore the practice-related problem of pressure ulcers and the importance of the problem in the nursing profession.

Most mobile patients are able to reposition themselves, while others who are critically ill are not able to feel or respond to pain. Therefore, nurses need to assess those patients in repositioning to decrease the risk of developing pressure ulcers (REF).

Now, the quality improvement department will need to determine what processes can be modified to improve outcomes. For example, if they see an increase in pressure sores and prevalence of restraints. They could use computerized charting and order entry, along with the evidence-based guidelines, to identify specific groups of patients who are vulnerable to developing pressure ulcers or closely monitoring use of restraints. With early identification, automatic orders for preventive interventions can be implemented quickly. With the assistance of the automated consults and orders, the appropriate equipment, the interdisciplinary task force, continuing education, and monitoring, the hospital system would be able to reduce unnecessary use of restraints and hospital-acquired pressure ulcer prevalence rate (Cherry & Jacob, 2010).

Studies have pointed out that nurses possess a significant role and extensive knowledge in pressure ulcer prevention. Instructive programs in the hospitals give great learning to nurses about the preventive and treatment techniques for

Most patients who end up in intensive care unit are most of the time so unstable that any little movement will put them at risk for further complications which can lead to death. However, finding a way to prevent pressure ulcer in the most critical ills patients in the healthcare system is very crucial.

Research Review: What influences the impact of pressure ulcers on health-related quality of life? A qualitative patient-focused exploration of contributory factors by C. Gorecki et. al.

Fortunately, according to Chan et al., (2008), 95% of pressure ulcers can be prevented and nursing care is believed to be a primary method of preventing pressure ulcer development. Research was conducted on accredited search databases such as CINAHL, Nursing Resource Center and OvidSP on prevention measures for pressure ulcers. A number of credible evidence based research was found that supported the nursing intervention of

Pressure Ulcers affects patients the older patients due to the problem of immobility. A pressure

Pressure ulcer is an adverse outcome in the clinical care setting that also linked to poor quality of nursing care. Though pressure should never happen in a professional care setting, it is still prevalent throughout the world’s medical settings. This article looks at many other previous studies from 1992 to present to compare and find the underlying issues that may contribute to pressure ulcer. A closer look at the nurse’s knowledge versus actual decision will be observe, because it is the key factor in pressure ulcer prevention.

Qualitative research design might address pressure ulcer rate by giving insight into how pressure ulcers can impact those affected by it. Researchers can gain understanding if the patients’ point of view on how pressure ulcers affect their quality of life in obvious as well as not so obvious ways. Quality of life in a patient with PU incorporates such variable as pain and suffering, serious infections, prolong hospital stays for patients, and lead to increased costs for health care (Langerno, D., 2005).

Improving patient care is a constant, ongoing process of trail and error. As nurses, providing the best of care possible for the patient should always be the number one priority. “The aims of nursing actions (also nursing interventions) are to protect, promote, and optimize health; to prevent illness and injury; to alleviate suffering; and to advocate for individuals, families, communities, and populations” (American Nurses Association, 2010). Standards of practice set in place by governing bodies’ help to serve as guidelines for safe and effective care. But, these too are constantly being critiqued and modified for the betterment of patient care. With these only serving as guidelines, and never concrete, it is critical that nurses

A framework is an abstract, logical structure of meaning, which guides the development of the study and enables the researcher to link the findings to nursing’s body of knowledge. Every study has a framework, and in this study it is explicitly expressed. Drake and colleagues (2012) inductively have studied and surveyed subjects on the matter of pressure ulcer prevention. The concepts in the framework are (a) pediatric nurses’ knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention, (b) beliefs and practices, (c) barriers and facilitators to providing evidence-based pressure ulcer preventive practices. Operational and conceptual definitions are used and are consistently associated with one another. It is implied that enhancing nurses’ knowledge base, disseminating guidelines, and generally improving the practices of nurses working with patients at risk for impaired skin integrity will significantly enhance the quality of life for the patients.