Medical device related pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients.

Most pressure ulcers occur over bony prominences such as heels and the sacrum. However, the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel recognises that pressure ulcers can also occur on any tissue under pressure and thereby can develop beneath medical devices. This article reports on results from a secondary analysis of existing data collected by The Nebraska Medical Center on pressure ulcer quality improvement initiatives and outcomes. The purpose of this study was to quantify the extent of the problem and identify risk factors for medical device related (MDR) pressure ulcer development in hospitalised patients. A subset of data collected during eight quarterly pressure ulcer incidence and prevalence studies (N = 2178) was created and analysed. The overall rate of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers was 5·4% (113 of 2079). The proportion of patients with hospital-acquired ulcers related to medical devices was 34·5% (39 of 113). Findings indicate that if a patient had a medical device, they were 2·4 times more likely to develop a pressure ulcer of any kind. Numerous risk factors for pressure ulcer development were identified; however, none differentiated between those with MDR and traditional pressure ulcers.

Dilemmas in measuring and using pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence: an international consensus.

Pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence data are increasingly being used as indicators of quality of care and the efficacy of pressure ulcer prevention protocols. In some health care systems, the occurrence of pressure ulcers is also being linked to reimbursement. The wider use of these epidemiological analyses necessitates that all those involved in pressure ulcer care and prevention have a clear understanding of the definitions and implications of prevalence and incidence rates. In addition, an appreciation of the potential difficulties in conducting prevalence and incidence studies and the possible explanations for differences between studies are important. An international group of experts has worked to produce a consensus document that aims to delineate and discuss the important issues involved, and to provide guidance on approaches to conducting and interpreting pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence studies. The group's main findings are summarised in this paper.

Debridement: controlling the necrotic/cellular burden.

PURPOSE: To provide physicians and nurses with an overview of the options for debriding a chronic wound to improve wound healing. TARGET AUDIENCE: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in learning about methods for debriding chronic wounds to promote wound healing. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After reading the article and taking the test, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the 4 types of debridement most commonly used in clinical practice. 2. Describe when to debride a wound and how to determine which method to use.