- The key to pressure ulcer prevention is regular skin inspections and assessments. According to the AHRQ, patients should be assessed for risk factors, including age, mobility, vein health and certain medications.
Patients should be assessed upon arrival to the health care facility and reassessed every 24 to 48 hours or whenever the patient's condition changes. - Patient's skin should be cleaned regularly if soiled, moisturized if dry, and staff should avoid hot water and strong soaps when bathing patients as they can have a drying affect. According to an editorial on NursingCenter.com, frequent skin assessments and inspections are a critical step to detect early skin changes to prevent further damage.
- According to the Journal of Care Management, by Derma Sciences, caregivers can attempt to prevent pressure ulcers by regular repositioning of bedbound patients at a minimum of every two hours and every hour for chair-bound. The Journal also recommends using positioning devices to help prevent bony prominences from direct contact with one another and causing unnecessary friction.
- The Journal of Care Management estimates that nearly 30 percent of pressure ulcers occur in acute-care settings, up to 23 percent in long-term care centers and nearly 13 percent in home-care settings. Now consider the estimated treatment cost of $5,000 to $27,000 per ulcer. Since pressure ulcers are seen as reasonably preventable, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services will no longer reimburse health care facilities for the costs incurred from pressure ulcers that occur during a hospital stay.
- Both health care staff, along with patients and their families, should be educated on prevention of pressure ulcers. Because Medicare and Medicaid will not reimburse for treatments of pressure ulcers that develop during the patient's hospital stay, hospitals and other organizations are working harder than ever to educate staff on prevention strategies.
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