Disciplines
Critical Care Nursing
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Pressure injuries continue to be a rising problem in hospitalized patients, specifically non-ambulatory patients. Without frequent turning and pressure relieving surfaces, patients may develop a pressure injury that costs them more and lengthens their hospital stay. By comparing frequent turning schedules and pressure relieving foam mattresses in the prevention of pressure injuries, thousands will be prevented. After a thorough search review on articles, five articles were selected in determining which prevention method happens to be the best. Although no articles researched the clinical prevention in foam mattresses and frequent turning, conducting a proposed project is effective. The proposed project consists of analyzing who is are at high risk for a pressure injury, those who are bed-bound, and those who are bed-bound but with minimal assistance to provide a foam mattress or order frequent turning schedule. After analyzing high risk patients, evaluating the support surface that is available is needed in determining what surface goes to specific patients based on their Braden scale. Evaluation of the proposed project would include documentation of the support surface used and evaluate those without a support surface or orders for frequent turning to evaluate their skin surface. Evaluating others would include a full head-to-toe assessment and a thorough skin inspection for other healthcare workers to note and document. Comparing low risk patients, high risk patients with support surface, and high-risk patients with an order for frequent turns will be evaluated for the effectiveness of this proposed project. This evaluation will last up to 6 months and determine if frequent turning intervals or a foam mattress is effective in preventing pressure injuries.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
Nursing
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Courtney Thompson
Included in
Prevention of Pressure Ulcers Interventions
Pressure injuries continue to be a rising problem in hospitalized patients, specifically non-ambulatory patients. Without frequent turning and pressure relieving surfaces, patients may develop a pressure injury that costs them more and lengthens their hospital stay. By comparing frequent turning schedules and pressure relieving foam mattresses in the prevention of pressure injuries, thousands will be prevented. After a thorough search review on articles, five articles were selected in determining which prevention method happens to be the best. Although no articles researched the clinical prevention in foam mattresses and frequent turning, conducting a proposed project is effective. The proposed project consists of analyzing who is are at high risk for a pressure injury, those who are bed-bound, and those who are bed-bound but with minimal assistance to provide a foam mattress or order frequent turning schedule. After analyzing high risk patients, evaluating the support surface that is available is needed in determining what surface goes to specific patients based on their Braden scale. Evaluation of the proposed project would include documentation of the support surface used and evaluate those without a support surface or orders for frequent turning to evaluate their skin surface. Evaluating others would include a full head-to-toe assessment and a thorough skin inspection for other healthcare workers to note and document. Comparing low risk patients, high risk patients with support surface, and high-risk patients with an order for frequent turns will be evaluated for the effectiveness of this proposed project. This evaluation will last up to 6 months and determine if frequent turning intervals or a foam mattress is effective in preventing pressure injuries.