Care providers are being urged to take part in an awareness day aimed at preventing pressure ulcers.
With the theme of ‘time to act, to keep the skin intact’, Stop the Pressure Ulcer Day on 17 November is encouraging health and social care to learn more about pressure ulcers.
What is a pressure ulcer?
According to the NHS website, pressure ulcers or bedsores are ‘injuries to the skin and underlying tissue, primarily caused by prolonged pressure on the skin.’
Anyone can develop a pressure ulcer, however there some risk factors. These include limited mobility, loss of feeling in part of the body, aged over 70, older people are more likely to have mobility problems, and skin that is easily damaged through dehydration for example.
What can care providers do?
Care providers should also be aware of the risk of developing pressure ulcers for people in their care. It is essential to conduct a risk assessment, monitor skin and use preventative measures such as regular repositioning, as outlined on the NHS website.
The annual initiative is led by The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. It offers some free resources online including a useful video https://youtu.be/KGpuWztuQJo that is available in several different languages.
NICE also provides a guide for registered managers to help prevent pressure ulcers.
Useful resources
SCIE & NICE – Helping to prevent pressure ulcers – a quick guide for registered care managers
Society of Tissue Viability – STOP the pressure downloadable resources
DHG – An introduction to Pressure Ulcers
DHG – Clinical Educational Resources for Stop the Pressure 2022
