Pressure Ulcers in Patients in the ICU

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Introduction
Pressure ulcers are a significant problem in those with complex illnesses or injuries which require admission into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Many ICU patients suffer from pressure ulcers. According to Shahin, Dassen and Halfrens (2009) “patients in the ICU have a 50% higher chance of developing a pressure ulcer as compared to patients on any other unit in a facility” (p. 370). ICU registered nurses (R.N.s) blame the frequency of pressure ulcers on not having enough time to provide adequate care and the presence of machines and monitoring devices attached to patients, which restricts movement.
Pressure ulcer development in patients admitted to the ICU is classified under the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) topic of safety. Safety by definition reduces the risk of harm to patients and providers through system effectiveness and individual performance (Cronenwett et al., 2007). Patient outcomes significantly improve if pressure ulcers in the ICU are prevented; patient pain related to pressure ulcers is eliminated and the risk of infection associated with pressure ulcers is greatly reduced (Cooper, 2011).
Using the transformational leadership theory requires the nurse manager to motivate staff to change procedure. First, nurse managers must educate staff nurses about the prevalence of pressure ulcers within their unit. Second, nurse managers must use the democratic management theory to obtain the opinions of the other nurses about the problem and the possible resolutions. In addition, managers need to discuss the cost associated with a nosocomial acquired pressure ulcer and pose suggestions about implementing a protocol to reduce the number of pressure ulcers in ICU patients. Implementing a P...

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