P
ressure ulcers
that manifest dur-
ing post-op hospi-
talization or after same-day discharge could have started
in the OR. In years past, the OR staff might say the
patient wasn't in the OR long enough for an injury to occur. Or they'd
deny it happened during surgery, because a skin examination at the end
of the case didn't reveal any suspicious-looking red spots. But today,
wound nurses who see skin injuries and take the issue back to the OR
are increasingly met with caregivers who are receptive to processing
and addressing the information.
Yes, the risk of pressure ulcers developing increases the longer anes-
thetized patients with unprotected soft tissue remain on the OR table.
And it typically takes 48 hours for the ulcer to show at the skin's sur-
1 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6
Skin injuries can occur without preventative measures in place.
• PADDED LAYERS
The pressure injury clock
starts ticking as soon as
anesthesia kicks in.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
Joyce Black, PhD, RN, CWCN, FAAN
Omaha, Neb.
