Intervention for Prevention of Bedsores
- Author Thomas Sharon, R.n. M.p.h.
- Published December 2, 2008
- Word count 418
How Bedsores Can Be Prevented
Time and attention are the basic ingredients for preventing bedsores. Both are becoming scarcer with the ever-dwindling number of nurses in the workforce. When a person is bedridden, the main thing to do for prevention is to reposition the patient from side to back to the other side every two hours. There are no exceptions, and there should be zero tolerance for failure. The hospital must supply forms for the nurses to document the length of time that the client spends in each position. There are varieties of designs, but I shall give you one for illustration here.
Turning and Positioning Record
Date: 11/20/02
Shift: 7-3
Position Left Lateral Supine Right Lateral Supine
Start Time
07:00
09:00
11:00
13:00
End Time
09:00
11:00
13:00
15:00
Length of Time
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
Date: 11/20/02
Shift: 3-11
Position Left Lateral Supine Right Lateral Supine
Start Time
15:00
17:00
19:00
21:00
End Time
17:00
19:00
21:00
23:00
Length of Time
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
Date: 11/20-21/02
Shift: 11-7
Position Left Lateral Supine Right Lateral Supine
Start Time
23:00
01:00
03:00
05:00
End Time
01:00
03:00
05:00
07:00
Length of Time
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
2 hrs.
The hospital should supply the following devices to protect the skin of a person at risk: foam rubber heel pads, sheepskin bed pads, an air or water mattress, an air-flotation bed, a drawsheet, and Chux. If the hospital has not supplied any of these, ask for them. Keep at it until everything has been supplied. Don't take "no" for an answer and don't assume "yes" means it will happen. Follow up to be sure.
The idea behind all of these devices is to relieve pressure by redistributing it. If there is compression of any single body part for too long, the skin will break down and an ulcer will develop. There are no exceptions. There is a simple care plan that should be in place in every hospital for every patient who is at any level of risk of developing pressure ulcers.
The care plan on the facing page is what you should be looking for. Accept nothing less. Let the executives know that any skin breakdown would be a disgrace and that you will take legal action if there is any breach of duty. There is no valid excuse for not following every aspect of this prevention protocol. Any hospital executive who claims this is too much to expect because of the nursing shortage is guilty of false advertising when the hospital is held out to be a facility that delivers quality care in accordance with accepted standards, because the standard is zero tolerance for bedsores!
http://legalnurseconsultanttom.com/
Thomas A. Sharon, R.N., M.P.H. is a published author, lecturer and internationally known expert in the prevention of medical errors. He has worked for two decades as a consultant to attorneys in cases where hospitals have been accused of preventable errors.
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- The challenge of Cholera today
- The two doctors who made a difference in preventing polio
- What was the Miasma Theory of Disease
- Can Dental Nerve Damage Heal? Understanding Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options
- How does pfizer xanax 2mg work ?
- How to deal with painful chilblains on the foot?
- How to treat Severs Disease in the Child's Foot?
- Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits in Children | Practical Tips and Success Stories
- What is sesamoiditis in the foot and what can be done about it?
- Alcohol Consumption: Risks, Influences, and Health Impacts
- Dr. Aaron Cwik DDS inspired by Oral Surgeon Robert Marx
- How to deal with growing pains in the legs of children?
- What is a Durlacher corn on the foot?
- What does the future hole for Alzheimers disease?
- Heel spur & Foot scan treatment
- How can moisture between the toes be treated?
- Butler Family Health Center Unveils New Website to Enhance Patient Experience in Centennial, Colorado Area
- THCa vs. CBD: Difference and Medical Benefits
- What is a Morton's Neuroma in the Foot?
- How to deal with tired and aching feet?
- Why Choose Dental Implants in Bangor for a Perfect Smile
- What is the best treatment for plantar fasciitis in the foot?
- What are the most common cause of problems with the toenails?
- The Importance of Childhood Immunisations for Long-term Health | KinderCure
- Venetoclax Overview
- The importance of childhood vaccinations
- Clavicle fractures; clinical pictures, diagnosis, treatment
- Lessons You Can learn from the fitness class
- Navigating the Stars: A Critical Examination of Medical Astrology
- Fighting the Silent Epidemic: Safeguard Your Child's Future with Vitamin D Screening at KinderCure | Dr. Garima Mengi