Pressure ulcer has caused thousands of death in Australia every year. It is very common in elderly people due to poor nutrition intake, fragile skin, reduce in mobility and other illnesses. Sally – an 82 year old resident has been under affected of diabetes for years and recently developed her leg ulcer. Leg ulcer is a serious health problem which causes Sally lot of pain and decreases her quality of life. Pressure ulcer develops when underlying skin tissues are damaged constantly by friction and shearing. Pressure injuries can be very difficult to cure and can lead to some serious complications. Due to her leg ulcer, Sally could no longer join her regular activities or associate with the community. Sally could barely move or leave the house …show more content…
Wellness implies to Sally holistically; the program does not focus only on her illness but every aspects of her life. In order to be healthy, Sally need to change her lifestyle such as have a balanced diet with necessary nutrition, keep a positive mind and receive support from people around. The program is designed for Sally so at the end she can enjoy a healthy and happy life and understand more about the disease. Diabetes has been one of the most challenging problems for public health worldwide and in Australia. It is described as a “life-time disease” and there is currently no cure. There are two main types of diabetes; type 2 diabetes is the most common form (85-90% of the diabetics). Type 2 diabetes occurs when body tissues cannot absorb insulin and glucose built up in the blood stream which causes the blood glucose levels to rise. Eventually, pancreas will work harder to product more insulin; they then become tired and died. This makes it harder to control the level of glucose. By 2011, nearly 1 million Australians have been diagnosed with diabetes (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2011). People with diabetes are more likely to suffer other diseases with their heart, kidneys and eyes. As a result, diabetes is ranked in the top 10 causing of death in Australia (AIHW National Mortality Database,
- Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States as of 2010.
Dressing was chosen according to the availability in the hospital. This would include fatty acids, hydrogels, alginate, collagenase, and pa-pain. Depending on the stage of the pressure ulcer, various products were used such as hydrocolloids, calcium alginate, or chemical debridement. A nutritional evaluation was performed due to its extreme importance for wound recovery. Nurses emphasized the importance of changing the dressing daily during the research. The pressure ulcers were treated accordingly to the guidance of the team applying the dressings. However, air mattresses were used at the same time, and if the patients’ condition is allowed, they were taken from bed to chair.
Pressure ulcers development occurs in every hospital and it remains a major worldwide health problem for many years. However, pressure ulcers have received minimal attention when we talk about it as a patient safety issue. It is a patient safety issue as it can lead to serious damage such as life-threatening infections and pain (Richardson & Barrow, 2015). On a med/surg unit, individuals may experience long or short hospital stays depending on the situation. For the short stays, the focus of care is often on regaining activities of daily living (Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, 2011). Therefore, assessment and education regarding pressure ulcers is often minimal or non-existent (RNAO, 2011). Every client who is at risk needs to be assessed and educated regarding pressure ulcers and the subsequent skin breakdown (Cooper, 2013). During the hospital stay, clients may have limited movement and pressure ulcers can extend into the muscle, tendon, and bone (RNAO, 2011). In many cases, clients do not notice the formation of an ulcer and as it may be in areas that are out of sight such as the coccyx. Often,
An estimate of 171 million people have diabetes and that number is expected to double by 2030. Diabetes affects how your body uses glucose. Unmanaged, this can lead to rapid dehydration, coma, and death. However today one can manage diabetes by controlling one’s diet and if necessary taking injections of insulin.
As an ICU nurse I constantly watch how patients develop pressure ulcers, a pressure ulcer is an area of skin that breaks down due to having constant friction and pressure, also from having limited movement and being in the same position over a prolonged period of time. Pressure Ulcers commonly occur in the buttocks, elbows, knees, back, shoulders, hips, heels, back of head, ankles and any other area with bony prominences. According to Cox, J. (2011) “Pressure ulcers are one of the most underrated conditions in critically ill patients. Despite the introduction of clinical practice guidelines and advances in medical technology, the prevalence of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients continues to escalate” (p. 364). Patients with critical conditions have many factors that affect their mobility and therefore predispose them to developing pressure ulcers. This issue is significant to the nursing practice because nurses are the main care givers of these patients and are the ones responsible for the prevention of pressure ulcers in patients. Nurses should be aware of the tools and resources available and know the different techniques in providing care for the prevention of such. The purpose of this paper is to identify possible research questions that relate to the development of pressure ulcers in ICU patients and in the end generate a research question using the PICO model. “The PICO framework and its variations were developed to answer health related questions” (Davies, K., 2011).
A pressure ulcer is an area of skin with unrelieved pressure resulting in ischemia, cell death, and necrotic tissue. The constant external pressure or rubbing that exceeds the arterial capillary pressure (32mmHg) and impairs local normal blood flow to tissue for an extended period of time, results in pressure ulcer (Smeltzer et. Al., 2013). According to National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, 2014, pressure ulcers are a major burden to the society, as it approaches $11billion annually, with a cost range from $500 to $70,000 per individual pressure ulcer. It is a significant healthcare problem despite considerable investment in education, training, and prevention equipment. This paper includes two different studies to link cause-effect
These specific sacral ulcers limits the patient to perform many activities of daily living (ADL). Patients who are elderly in an acute hospitalization or have a different impairment are at risk to suffer from ulcers (Kirman, C. et al. 2014). Also, these ulcers can happen from laying down in a constant position. According to Hartmann, a pressure sore is one of the most severe complications
Alzheimer’s disease considered a risk factor because of impairment of mental status (Berman&Slon, 2012). Due to their mental status, patients are unaware of prevention of pressure ulcers, which makes them more vulnerable to pressure ulcers. However, the dryness of the skin also considers as risk factors for pressure ulcers. Diabetes mellitus is also a risk factor of pressure ulcers as people with diabetes have sensation lost (Scemons&Elston, 2009). Age is an important risk factor because pressure ulcers are more common among older people as a result of the skin becomes more sensitive and fragile (Bedsores, 2014). Moreover, low blood pressure adds to the risk factor of pressure ulcers, incontinence of urine or feces also considered risk factors. Prolonged surgery, anemia, higher body temperature, and vascular disease are all risk factors for pressure
Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (blood sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. Diabetes falls into two main categories: type 1, or juvenile diabetes, which usually occurs during childhood or adolescence, and type 2, or adult-onset diabetes, the most common form of the disease, usually occurring after age 40. Type 1 results from the body’s immune system attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The onset of juvenile diabetes is much higher in the winter than in the summer. This association has been repeatedly confirmed in diabetes research. Type 2 is characterized by “insulin resistance,” or an inability of the cells to use insulin, sometimes accompanied by a deficiency in insulin production. There is also sometimes a third type of diabetes considered. It is gestational diabetes, which occurs when the body is not able to properly use insulin during pregnancy. Type 2 diabetes encompasses nine out of 10 diabetic cases. Diabetes is the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States, and it has no cure. The total annual economic cost of diabetes in 2002 was estimated to be $132 billion, or one out of every 10 health care dollars spent in the United States. Diabetes risk factors can fall into three major categories: family history, obesity, and impaired glucose tolerance. Minority groups and elderly are at the greatest risk of developing diabetes.
Necrotizing Fasciitis (flesh eating bacteria ) from an essay by Katrina Tram Duong, edited by S.N. Carson M.D.
Pressure ulcers are one of the most common problems health care facilities often face which causes pain and discomfort for the patient, cost effective to manage and impacts negatively on the hospital (Pieper, Langemo, & Cuddigan, 2009; Padula et al., 2011). The development of pressure ulcers occur when there is injury to the skin or tissue usually over bony prominences such as the coccyx, sacrum or heels from the increase of pressure and shear. This injury will compromise blood flow and result in ischemia due to lack of oxygen being delivered (Gyawali et al., 2011). Patients such as those who are critically ill or bed bounded are at high risk of developing pressure ulcers (O'Brien et al., 2014).
Thomas, D. R. (2001). Issues and dilemmas in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers: A
Pressure ulcer is also known as bedsore. There is a skin lesion, which is caused by number of factors, that include friction and unrelieved pressure. Body that can be affected; bony or cartilaginous areas such as elbows, knees and ankles are commonly affected. The bedridden patient for extended period are more prone to get pressure ulcer. Bedsore is one of the most common complication in elderly group and due to increase in rapid population, there is high prevalence of pressure ulcer which can lead to most serious infection such as osteomyelitis and sepsis. Pressure ulcers (PU) are a common medical complication in the frail elderly [1]. These induce suffering and worsening in quality of life and prolong hospitalization [1]. Pressure ulcer are
Education on the use of risk assessment scales in practice is identified as a recommendation along with the continued use of nurses clinical judgment being used combined with a risk assessment tool. This, along with surveillance for complications, is very relevant when considering the diabetic foot. Living with foot ulceration has been linked to diminished wellbeing, quality of life and physical health in patients. Identification of the patient’s pain status is vital when treating patients with diabetic foot ulceration and addressing the challenges of either pain or no pain.
Diabetes mellitus (or diabetes) is a chronic, lifelong condition that affects your body's ability to use the energy in food. This means that a person has too much glucose in the blood. There are three major types of diabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. All types of diabetes mellitus have something in common. Normally, your body breaks down the sugars and carbohydrates you eat into a special sugar called glucose. Glucose fuels the cells in your body. But the cells need insulin, a hormone, in your bloodstream in order to take in the glucose and use it for energy. Insulin is produced in the pancrea...