Skin Breakdown Case Study

Improved Essays
Introduction
In the medical world, many medical-surgical clients will find themselves secluded to their bed with little to no mobility. The prolonged bed rest will cause pressure to be constantly applied on certain areas of the body which will lead to the skin breaking down. Skin is the first line of defense, when that is compromised the human body is susceptible to infections and other diseases. The way skin breakdown is handled reflects how well the care is in the hospital. Ensuring the client does not end up back in the hospital with further complications starts with their support system and the environment they live in.
Issue That Impacts the Medical-Surgical Client
One of the issues many medical-surgical clients have to deal with is skin breakdown. Majority of skin breakdown has to deal with the fact that the patient can have little mobility after a procedure. One of the most common issues that arise from skin breakdown are pressure ulcers. Nayak (2014) states that there is little awareness on how to prevent them or how to treat them if they do occur. “Bedsore is a global problem concerning the bedridden, infirm, debilitated and malnourished patients in hospitals and community setups.” (Nayak, Srinivasan, Jagdish, Rattan, Chatram, 2008, p.1) Pressure ulcers develop because of unrelieved and prolonged pressure. Potter and Perry (2014)
…show more content…
While past methods are unclear, the present methods have come a long way to help patients in their recovery. Special mattresses and assessment guidelines have been created like the Pressure Support Devices and the Braden Scale. Prevention of the injuries that could cause the patient to end up in the hospital starts with their environment. Ensuring that the patient and their family understand skin breakdown and pressure ulcers will help with the prevention as well as the healing

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    Introduction What is noninvasive ventilation? If you are a person who googles everything, then you will be redirected to the article Noninvasive Ventilation written by Guy Soo Hoo that states “Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) refers to the administration of ventilatory support without using an invasive artificial airway (endotracheal tube or tracheostomy tube).” Now if you are a person that likes to look at books to get the answer, then David W. Chang wrote in Clinical Application of Mechanical Ventilation that “noninvasive positive pressure ventilation is a technique of providing ventilation without the use of an artificial airway.” Wherever you want to get the definition from, the purpose is all the same: to help the ventilation of the patient…

    • 1565 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The pressure ulcer prevention plan, pressure sore avoidance plan and wound care plan is the second target. Recommendations from other studies including use of amino acid supplements in patients with pressure sores, hydrocolloid or foam dressings in patients with pressure ulcers, and electrical stimulation for enhancing the wound healing can be applied here (Qaseem, Humphrey, Forciea, Starkey & Denberg, 2015). The third is using an electronic pressure ulcer risk assessment tool by leveling low, medium, and high. According to these data a pressure ulcer prevention competency can be created which will give knowledge to the staff about preventing pressure sores. In the immersion phase, the staff will change the work environment with preventive approach.…

    • 1150 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    ICU-Acquired Strengths

    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Second, vascular management for prophylaxis for deep vein thrombosis; respiratory therapy is necessary to minimize risk for pulmonary infection. Third, integumentary protection measures should be started using pressure relieving mattress to avert the incident of pressure ulcers and ensuring frequent turning program is optimize and finally, involvement of physical medicine and rehabilitation physician to sort out and assist potential obstacle in starting an early mobilization…

    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After assisting with assessing the patient, he seemed to be responding well to Metropolol as evidence of heart rate decreasing to 140. His body temperature was still low. Therefore, we decided to cover him with many blankets and a bear hugger to help increase his body temperature. Then we moved on to changing his sacral pressure dressing because it had become soiled with his feces. According to Patient.info “Reduce risk of infection and enhance wound healing by hand…

    • 689 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    I think the problem this research is trying to address in respects of Medicare reimbursement. Medicare, in most cases, will decline reimbursement any pressure ulcers unless they are present on admission (Wilkinson & Treas, 2011). The key for this matter is the accuracy and completeness of the documentation upon patient’s admission assessment. The true research question posed in this study I read about is “which one better in terms of accuracy and completeness of pressure ulcer documentation? paper charting or electronic…

    • 82 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Since October 2008, Medicare no longer pays hospitals for ulcer specific care for patients who acquire pressure ulcer during their inpatient stay. Mandatory reporting of hospital-acquired stage three and four pressure ulcers has also been implemented. Pressure ulcer prevention in acute care hospitals is not a new problem however since the CMS guidelines reflecting nonpayment for hospital acquired pressure ulcers there is heightened focus on tracking and documentation of pressure ulcers. Although many facilities have specific guidelines laid out on best practice measures to prevent hospital acquired pressure ulcers these measures are not followed on a consistent basis. Some measures include staff training: assessment of all patients on admission for pressure ulcer development using the (Braden…

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    They are usually a result of the patient’s inability to move themselves causing them to lay in the same position leading to their skin breaking down to a painful sore (Moore Webster, & Samuriwo, pg. 2). Nursing care influences everything in a facility. Nurses are the people that see their patient’s multiple times a day and build the therapeutic relationship to help in the healing process. The nursing shortage is something that most hospitals and long term care facilities are having to manage on a daily basis. The nursing shortage is one of the causes in which the…

    • 1313 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On Thursday, August 24, 2017 I got the experience to follow Horizon Specialty Hospital of Henderson’s Wound Care Team. During this experience, I was able to witness the removal of a wound VAC (vacuum assisted closure) and surgical stitches, different methods of wound monitoring and discussed the healing process. For new admissions, the Wound Care Team does a physical examination of the body, looking for any wounds, bruises, scars, tubes and IV placements. They take pictures, measurements and note the location of the wound. Since the hospital still uses paper charting, they handwrite all of their notes and upload them to the patients' medical chart when done with their assessment.…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pressure Ulcer Case Study

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Patients need to be given the attention that is needed to afford efficient and effective care. A pressure ulcer (PU), also referred to as a 'pressure injury ', 'pressure sore ', or 'bedsore ' is defined as an area of localized tissue damage that is caused by unrelieved pressure, friction or shearing forces on any part of the body. PUs commonly occur in patients who are elderly and less mobile, and carry significant human and…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pressure Ulcer Critique

    • 1094 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Two out of the four provided patient insight on the possible impact of pressure ulcers on the quality of life. It identified the impact of pressure ulcers on the lives of the patients’, which included their physical, social, financial status, changes in body images, and loss of independence and control (Spilsbury, et al., 2007). On the other hand the other two articles did not have a clear insight on the relation between pressure ulcers and quality of life because of the fact that they were existing conditions that impacted patient lives similar to that of the impact of pressure…

    • 1094 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The review revealed that the application of turn-team program can be initiated in any hospital or nursing home settings and it does not require the use of technology or specialized training that will contributes to high cost of hospitalization (Hobby B, 2004). The particular parts of staff preparing included early acknowledgment of the indications of skin breakdown and its documentation, contamination control methods, and minimizing the impacts connected with loss of gut or bladder…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Primary Source Critique

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A Primary Source Critique Paper The research problem that I have chosen in Unit 1 was pressure ulcers. This problem needs to be researched in order to properly address such problems in nursing home settings and to be able to find ways to at least prevent if not solve the problem is not only promoting positive patient care outcomes, but also increasing the quality of care of the nursing home facilities. As nurses, we are encouraged to apply evidence-based practice in our profession. In finding evidence we have to determine the validity of the source.…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Another evidence-based practice currently use at my agency is prevention of pressure ulcers is implemented when a Braden scale score is less than 18 (Best Practice, 2010). When patients are known to be high risk for pressure ulcers prevention program is implemented. This includes keeping the…

    • 327 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As Waugh and Grant (2014) discuss, obesity and malnourishment are common in older adults and obesity can have severe effects on a patient's health. Adults classed as obese can be predisposed to pressure ulcers which may take longer heal if additional care is not taken as stated by Cai, Rahman and Intrator (2013). The Mayo Clinic (2017) state that pressure ulcers, if left untreated, can result in a painful skin infection named cellulitis. However, patients with damaged nerves may not possess the ability to identify when they are experiencing pain which means it is vital that nurses are regularly checking for pressure ulcers in obese patients with reduced mobility. Another symptom resulting from…

    • 1598 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Pressure area care was one of the priorities, so we used special pressure relieving equipment like the gel pads, Inco pads, and gam gees in areas that are vulnerable to pressure ulcers such as the ankles, the bottom and shoulders to ensure patient comfort during the operation. Patient was strapped to avoid her from falling from the operating bed. Mal-positioning of the patient has important implications in terms of associated problems of pressure sores, nerve compressions, deep vein thrombosis and compartment syndrome, and should be avoided (Adedeji et al., 2010).Mrs A was covered with blanket so as to protect her dignity throughout her…

    • 2140 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays

Related Topics