A care bundle for pressure ulcer treatment in intensive care units

Abstract

Pressure ulcers (PUs) are localized injuries of the skin or underlying tissue caused by prolonged pressure, exposure to shear forces or friction. PUs represent a major concern for hospitalized patients and the health professionals responsible for their wellbeing. intensive care init (ICU) patients are at high risk of PU development, and the development of PUs can significantly extend the length of time a patient must remain in the ICU. Patients with PUs experience significantly increased morbidity, mortality and financial burden. A significant amount of evidence has accumulated indicating that PU prevention is an essential component of patient care. However, standardized guidelines and protocols for PU prevention in ICUs have not been universally implemented. This review aims to describe and analyze an optimized PU prevention care bundle based on the best available evidence and existing national guidelines. We distilled the available information into five main topics important for PU prevention: Risk Assessment, Skin Assessment, Support Surfaces, Nutrition and Repositioning. Further larger scale studies are needed to clinically verify the effectiveness of the care bundle.

Keywords

• Pressure ulcer
• Care bundle
• Intensive care unit