M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 4 1
Prevent Pressure Ulcers
P
ressure ulcers are the
painful, red reminders of
unprotected bony promi-
nences that remain on the
OR table for too long. While no single precaution is
100% effective in preventing pressure ulcers — some patients will suf-
fer skin breakdown no matter how hard you try to prevent it — the
right positioning techniques and devices can go a long way toward
reducing the risk. Here are 14 simple steps worth considering.
1. Stress good nutrition. Diet impacts risk for pressure ulcer
development. Take time during the pre-operative meeting to discuss
the importance of nutrition in the weeks leading up to surgery. "Advise
patients to take a daily multivitamin, and to make sure they're incorpo-
rating protein into a balanced diet, because this helps prevent skin
breakdown," says Denise Betcher, RN, MSN, CPHQ, nursing quality
specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz. According to a 2015
report in the journal Advances in Skin and Wound Care, proper
hydration can also help ward off pressure ulcers.
14 strategies to protect your patients from skin lesions
caused by friction and unrelieved pressure.
• PRESSURE AND TIME Pressure ulcers can develop during shorter procedures, but the risk increases the longer anesthetized patients with unprotected bony prominences remain on the OR table.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
Diane Stopyra
Contributing Editor