Comparison Cohort Study

Pressure ulcers are a major health issue that can be essentially preventable. Nurses assess skin integrity and identify pressure ulcers and implement preventative measures in order to treat and avoid prolonged stays in hospitals. There are many important risk assessment tools and skin assessment education that can aid nurses’ knowledge concerning pressure ulcers. The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel acknowledged the necessity for healthcare professionals to be well-informed about how to take an organized approach to guiding and recording pressure ulcer risk assessment. Evidence implies that if these elements, such as, assessment scale, clinical judgement, and complete skin assessment are in place, it can reduce the development of
In patients with nutritional imbalances, the patient is predisposed to developing a pressure ulcer quicker than in a healthier patient. Evaluating which methods to use, according to supportive literature, will guide nurses to implement the appropriate care and treatment for the patient. A comparison cohort study was conducted in order to evaluate two methods for turning and positing and the effects it has on pressure ulcer development. Two methods of positioning were evaluated specifically with the use of pillows (standard of care) to patient positioning system (PPS). Sixty patients from a neurointensive/trauma unit were used for this particular study. A random assignment of patients was designated to one of two teams per standard bed placement practices. Patients who already had a prior pressure ulcer were not included in this study. Evaluation of pressure ulcers were performed on a daily basis and information was collected on the number of staff members that were required to turn the patients. The patients that were turned with standard of care pillows was designated
It incorporates the greatest available scientific data in addition to experimental evidence so that we can become well informed critical thinkers and make educated decisions in the deliverance of patient care (Dearholt & Dang, 2012). When discussing the relevance of patient repositioning and turning, pressure ulcers result when pressure is increased on the skin and subcutaneous tissues surpasses the confined capillary pressure, which then, compromises the blood flow causing ischemia and reduced oxygen delivery (Peterson, Gravenstein, Schwab, VanOostrom, & Caruso, 2013). “Managing one full-thickness ulcer can cost up to $70,000 and over $17 billion is spent on pressure ulcer treatment annually in the United States” (Peterson et al., 2013, p. 477). Peterson et al., 2013 discuss that it is unanimously decided that pressure-distributing devices cannot replace patient repositioning care and it will be further explained in detail. Their particular study implemented a descriptive and observational design which takes place in a university-affiliated hospital with 170 intensive care beds from 2007-2009. Twenty-three participants were enrolled in the study from a convenience sample of 20 in intensive care and 3 in transitional care. Informed consents had been obtained. As part of this study, a sensor was placed underneath the patient that extended from the lower