Pressure Area Care

To maintain good pressure area care for patients we should always maintain good health and safety, this can be done by regular checks on the patient and using a turning chart to document when the patient has been turned and that all there pressure areas are intact, doing risk assessments to see if the patient needs the bed side rails up to ensure they’re not going to be able to fall out the bed. Always washing hands prior to patient care and after and using the correct PPE when doing any personal care.

When positioning a patient it’s essential and protocol to use the correct manual handling techniques to ensure patient safety at all times. We can use slide sheets with another nurse to help position patients correctly and also use the hoist if necessary to again help move a patient who may be less able to position or move themselves.
Always clear the area prior to any moving and handing to prevent any accidents happening.
Try to encourage the patient as much as possible also and let them be aware of why repositioning is essential to their care.

When a patient is admitted to the ward the nurses are meant to do a risk assessment on the patient to see if they’re in danger of developing any pressure sores or if they have come in with a pressure sore to document exactly where it is and how severe on a wound chart. It should then be checked regularly by myself or the nurses and any change should be reported straight away to help with the continuity of care. An air mattress can also be ordered to help relieve the pressure of a sore on the patient this again is determined on the score on the risk assessment.

If a patient was admitted to my ward with a pressure sore I would pass it straight onto the relevant member of staff as I cannot act or make referrals within my job role and competency sphere.

We must always when working in a clinical setting apply the standard precautions in place to help protect ourselves and the patients, these basic things include...