Book Title: Wound Care Nursing
Chapter 12: Pressure Ulcers
Overview:
- Chapter extensively covers the pathophysiology of pressure ulcers
- Mentions complications associated with pressure ulcers and how to prevent them
- Classification of pressure ulcers
Description:
A pressure ulcer can be defined as… ‘any lesion caused by unrelieved pressure resulting in damage of underlying tissue’ (NPUAP 1989). Pressure ulcers are painful debilitating wounds. They are associated with significant morbidity and mortality in frail older people, people who are immobile, people who have neurological impairment, and those who are critically ill (Allman et al. 1986; Burd et al. 1992) This chapter discusses the pathophysiology of pressure ulcers, complications associated with pressure ulcers, their classification, treatment and more.
Topics:
- Pathophysiology of pressure ulcers
- Overall picture
- Capillary-closing pressures
- Tissue tolerance
- Pathophysiological changes
- Complications of pressure ulcers
- Sepsis and osteomyelitis
- Quality of life
- Increased mortality
- Preventing pressure ulcers
- Risk factors for pressure ulcers
- Overview of risk factors
- Risk-assessment tools
- Benefits of risk-assessment tools
- Classification of pressure ulcers
- Support surfaces
- Functions and terminology
- Types of support surfaces
- Choosing support surfaces
- Treatment of pressure ulcers
- Conservative treatment
- Surgical intervention
Speaker / Author:
Jenny Prentice
completed her training as a registered general and obstetric nurse in New Zealand in 1977, and holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and certificates in stomal therapy and palliative care. She has worked as a clinical nurse consultant in surgical nursing, wound care, and stomal therapy in both acute care and communitycare settings. Jenny is a founding and life member of the Western Australian Wound Care Association. Jenny was also a founding member and treasurer of the Australian Wound Management Association (AWMA), of which she is the current president. Jenny contributed to the development of the AWMA’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prediction and Prevention of Pressure Ulcers. She has been the editor of Primary Intention—the Australian Journal of Wound Management since its inception in 1993. Jenny is also a reviewer for the Journal of Wound Ostomy and Continence Nursing. She is completing a PhD at the University of Western Australia through the Faculty of Surgery and Pathology. Her thesis examines whether clinical practice guidelines for pressure ulcers reduce the prevalence of these ulcers and improve clinicians’ knowledge of them. Jenny has published and presented her work in Australia, the USA, Ireland, Europe, and New Zealand.
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