Pressure injuries, which are popularly known as pressure ulcers, are among the issues critical to caregivers, just like the inmates who have a lot of time in bed unused. The pressure injury may significantly be caused by continuous force(s) on the skin and tissue domains, extending to tissue damage and bleeding, increasing infection risk and other complications. Preserving the pressure injuries is a top priority for patient safety, given that they can cause various degrees of painful sensations or irritation, in the worst case even resulting in infections like sepsis. Besides, pressure ulcers might lead to an extended length of stay and incur additional costs to the healthcare system while impacting the patients’ total satisfaction during their hospitalization.
In relation to community healthcare services, the institutions address the issue of pressure injury prevention with many procedures. These actions are usually offering evidence-based protocols for turning and repositioning immobile patients frequently, applying specialized support surfaces such as pressure-relieving mattresses, cushions, or other similar products, inspection the skin regularly, providing acceptable food and liquid, and giving out the know-how of pressure ulcer prevention and treatment to the caregivers. The system that pressures ulcers evolve in is so-called nosocomial infection, which may arise in the following healthcare settings, including hospitals, long-term care centers, and home healthcare. Individuals who, are unable to move ,(or have a minimal ability to move) are the most susceptible to developing pressure injuries (Walker et al., 2020). Patient groups, such as post-surgery patients, neurological patients, and older adults, are examples of vulnerable individuals. Nurses and other healthcare professionals perform essential functions in recognizing patients and healthcare facilities by applying preventative measures, and they are on the front line to intervene quickly when a patient gets pressure injuries.
In a review of the evidence on the prevention of injury from pressure, it is essential to bring the use of the interventions in line with the declared aims of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the quality of care. For instance, safety and eliminating harm to the patients are major priorities for this concept. Installing evidence-based preventive measures and several route training procedures, for example, regular repositioning and specialized support surfaces, will massively decrease the occurrence of pressure injuries and allow for the better safety of patients (Walker et al., 2020). Additionally, proper prevention would be central to this. Constantly monitoring and evaluating outcomes to check the measures’ effectiveness is vital to see which of them leads to a reduction in both the incidence and severity of pressure ulcer development. It is this feedback mechanism which is continually occurring that keeps the providers detecting the areas that need improvement and, thus, using the preventive success strategies. Also, a focus on a patient-centered approach is the main point behind preventing pressure injuries. First, giving attention to patients’ unique requirements and preferences, including assessing the factors that may put them at risk of pressure injuries and increasing their role in the decision-making, strengthens the results of the preventive endeavor. By providing existing patient with tailor-made education and support, they not only improve the results of treatment but also make it humane and meet their personal needs in participating in their care. Through maintaining these objectives, healthcare providers can ensure the complete range and efficiency of therapy and, as a result, increase the rate of successful recoveries while providing safe and strong patient-focused care.
Part 2: Planned Strategies and Expected Outcomes
The problem of pressure injury prevention cannot be solved only on one level. Many actions are required for good results, for example, given the fact that the protocol of regular utility of repositioning every two hours of immobile patients can decrease a lot the chance of developing pressure injuries. The purpose of this technique is to lighten the compressive forces acting on the skin’s susceptible regions so that blood flow isn’t disrupted, leading to tissue damage (Robinson, 2022). Many studies have shown that the probability of developing pressure wounds tends to be reduced if one moves into a new position frequently. Moving properly and eating food from the younger-plant field have been the cornerstone of able care.
Additionally, it is important to offer patients instruction on how to use equipment such as pressure-relieving mattresses, intermittent cushions, and overlays to at the risk of developing pressure injuries. They are constructed in such a way as to spread the weight distribution on two surfaces of the body parts and reduce the risk of blood lanes strangulation and damage. Thus, optimizing bed surfaces and wheelchair helpers’ medical staff may significantly reduce the probability of pressure injuries among patients while improving patients’ health.
Furthermore, among the essential measures are skin examinations, and a well-thought-out monitoring system accompanies these. Through skin assessment, which health care providers do periodically, signs of pressure injuries can be detected early in therapy; thus, prompt interventions and management can be implemented (Robinson, 2022). Technical documentation of the skin integrity in a methodological way contributes to the early discovery of pressure ulcers. Consequently, this allows healthcare providers to carry out preventive measures, including offloading or treating open wounds, in a timely manner.
The anticipated results of these programs are very varied. With the decreased prevalence and severity of pressure injuries, health facilities can reduce the instances of patients’ poor outcomes. This will subsequently improve the facilities’ quality of patient care. Therefore, they are likely to have a better quality of life and relief from anxieties and other psychological problems, which also contribute to satisfying care. Besides, the cases of shorter hospital stays and lower costs on medical services addressed at pressure injury recovery are to occur after this measure was issued. In summary, the programs are designed to improve the patient’s safety and high-quality care, reducing the I, incidence of pressure injuries and the associated costs by the hospitals and healthcare systems.
Importance to Nursing Practice
Preventing pressure injuries in nursing practice is critical because it’s the nurses who serve on the frontline in discovering patients at risk, advancing preventative measures, and providing ongoing monitoring and support. Through proper pressure injury prevention, nurses can achieve a safer and more comfortable environment for the patients, thus, better and more favorable healthcare outcomes (Bui et al., 2023). Moreover, pressure injury prevention resonates with nursing’s central values of whole-person care, evidence-based development, and patient welfare advocacy.
Part 3–Nursing theory
To put it in a nutshell, we can employ the theory of nursing, which endows us with the Neuman Systems Model to prevent pressure injury. Neuman’s theory postulates that the more accurately the relationship between individuals and their surrounding environment is maintained, the healthier the individuals and the environment are, and wellness gains are transcendent. This project well suits the approach of the Neuman Systems Model since it perceives the occurrences of pressure ulcers as the primary reason for disbalance in the homeostasis of the patient’s bodily systems, aiming to return the system to normal equilibrium. The stress theory, which is the backbone of the crises broached in the book, considers stress arising from various sources such as physiological, psychological, sociocultural, and environmental influences. Stressors giving out symptoms like continuous pressure on the skin attributed to nursing are helped to be identified and addressed by nurses for patients to maintain equilibrium and avoid pressure injuries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, pressure injury prevention is central to sound healthcare service success and patient welfare. Through the application of proven measures, nurses can significantly reduce the risk of occurrence and severity of pressure injuries, improve patients’ comfort level, and ensure they meet desired healthcare outcomes. The Neuman Systems Model is characterized as holistic and is employed to comprehend the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries, which represent the core elements of nursing practice.
References
Walker, R. M., Gillespie, B. M., McInnes, E., Moore, Z., Eskes, A. M., Patton, D., … & Chaboyer, W. (2020). Prevention and treatment of pressure injuries: A meta-synthesis of Cochrane Reviews. Journal of Tissue Viability, 29(4), 227-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtv.2020.05.004
Bui, U. T., Tehan, P. E., Barakat-Johnson, M., Carville, K., Haesler, E., Lazzarini, P. A., … & Finlayson, K. (2023). Assessment, management and prevention of chronic wounds in the Australian context: a scoping review. Wound Practice & Research: Journal of the Australian Wound Management Association, 31(3), 120-145. https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.303445216157229
Robinson, M. E. (2022). Implementation of an Algorithm to Prevent Pressure Injuries Among Immobile Residents. https://archive.hshsl.umaryland.edu/handle/10713/18902
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