Pressure Ulcers
THE SILENT KILLER
Pressure Ulcers pressure ulcer is a part of the skin, which breaks down from body weight (Berman 2007, Ferguson 2000). This often occurs when the patient or person stays in one position for a long time, such as after surgery or injury. The persistent pressure on that area of the skin reduces the blood supply and the affected tissue can die. First, it turns up as a reddened skin, then a blister, an open sore and, finally, a crater. It is most commonly found in areas where the bones are prominent. These are often the elbow, heels, hips, ankles, shoulders, back and the back of the head. Causes of pressure ulcers are being bedridden or in a wheelchair, skin fragility, chronic medical conditions, limited body movements, malnourishment, mental disability, older age, and urinary or bowel incontinence. Other causes can be decreased weight, impaired nutritional intake, dehydration, and low serum albumin, which are considered risk factors (Fergusson).
There are four stages of severity. In Stage I, the skin becomes red and the pressure ulcer begins. In Stage II, the blister becomes an open sore. In Stage III, the skin breaks down and looks like a crate. The tissue under the skin becomes damaged. And in Stage IV, the damage becomes deep and extensive. The muscle, bone, tendons or joints are often affected (Berman, Ferguson).
Statistics say that more than a million persons develop pressure ulcers every year (Fergusson et al. 2000). Of this total, approximately 11% are found in skilled-care and nursing homes, 10% in acute care, and 4.4% in home care. Hospital cases account for 2.7% to 29.5%. Pressure ulcers seriously reduce the patient’s quality of life. Medical conditions, infections and even death are associated with pressure ulcers. Records show that about 60,000 persons die of complications from pressure ulcers. Court suits have been filed in connection with the prevalence by the patient, his or her family, government agencies or the media. Courts have found many facilities liable for poor pressure ulcer management. Between 68% and 78% of these court suits have ended up with a verdict or a settlement at an average of $250,000. Studies found that those who were granted monetary recovery caused by poor nutrition were five times more than that caused by pressure ulcer management alone (Fergusson).
Complications of pressure ulcers include sepsis, localized infection, cellulites and osteomyelitis (Allman 1995). Sepsis is the most serious. A pressure ulcer most often accounts for aerobic or anaerobic bacteremia. A pressure ulcer that does not heal can imply osteomyelitis. Many studies have identified pressure ulcers as the cause of 60% of deaths in hospitals and nursing homes at 60%, especially for older persons who develop them within a year from hospital discharge. Other complications are pain and depression, which are both connected with decreased healing of the ulcers (Allman).
Marjolin’s ulcer is seen as another and major complication of pressure ulcers (Tutela et al. 2004). Although rare, Marjolin’s ulcer is a malignant degeneration, which develops from a chronic wound, such as pressure ulcer. It has also been reported to develop from radiotherapy, hidradenitis suppurativa and diabetes. It was first observed by Roman physician Aurelius Celsus in abnormal tissue growth in burns in the first century AD. It was again encountered in the early 19th century by Hawkins and Dupuytren in a chronic wound. But French surgeon Jean Nicolas Marjolin was credited with its first accepted description. The latency of Marjolin ulcers has been observed in persons aged 20 to 50. In 1965, Arons attributed the linear degeneration from chronic irritation to atypia to carcinoma. Marjolin’s ulcer has a much faster metastatic rate than squamous cell carcinoma, not due to inflammation. Metastatis has been observed and documented in 30% of Marjolin’s ulcers as compared to only.5% to 6% of squamous cell carcinomas. It most commonly occurs from osteomyelitis and less frequently from burns, trauma, hidradeinitis suppurativa, radiotherapy, venous ulcers and diabetes foot ulcers (Tutela et al.).
Prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers require identifying high-risk patients, preventive interventions and the best therapies (Cuddigan 2001). Determining the actual incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers on a national level, in turn, requires accurate measurement of these data. Yet these data are difficult to obtain because of a lack of good sources, inconsistent use of major terms, and difficulty in conducting incidence and prevalence studies. The best practices, which must be translated into effective clinical practice, are themselves difficult especially with pressure ulcer care. This care is largely multidisciplinary. A lot of the work is performed by unlicensed staff. These best care practices also need to be integrated with a workable reimbursement scheme (Cuddigan).
Prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers cover all the aspects of patient care (Ferguson 2000). These include nutritional intervention, pressure relief and management, incontinence management, and wound care. The first step in planning prevention strategies is to determine pressure ulcer risk. This is the responsibility of nurses. Two of the most commonly used risk assessment scales are the Norton Scale and the Braden Scale. The Norton Scale consists of physical condition, mental status, activity, mobility and incontinence dimensions. It has been criticized for not containing a nutrition dimension. The Braden Scale consists of sensory perception, moisture, mobility, activity, nutrition and friction or shear components. The nutrition component covers feeding route, feeding status, dietary intake and nutritional supplement use (Ferguson).
Nutritional status has been strongly correlated with the risk of pressure ulcers (Fergusson 2000). Calories, protein, fluid, vitamins and minerals are considered valuable in wound healing. Nutritional intervention is, thus, a major component in preventing and treating pressure ulcers. This covers assessment of nutrition status, estimate of nutrition needs, and implementation of intervention strategies. These strategies range from optimizing the feeding environment to enteral tube feeding. Nurses play a critical role in the patient’s nutrition situation. In cooperation with other clinicians, they can provide the best and appropriate nutrition care for patient with pressure ulcers (Ferguson).
A study of 330 patients over 65 years old in hospitals and long-term facilities in Canada investigated risk assessment scores, prevention strategies and pressure ulcer incidence (Thompson 2000). It found that an accurate prediction was difficult to make among all the patients. Only half of the respondents actually developed pressure ulcers. The study concluded that comprehensive assessments have to done on admission and with health status change in order to make the prediction. Medical practitioners must also evaluate the patients’ medical status, nutritional status, quality of care, social support and the environment to support the prediction and prevention effort (Thompson).
Health experts believe that patients with pressure ulcers should be given high-potency vitamin and mineral supplements on a daily basis (Collins 2002). Vitamin C helps in collagen formation. Patients with pressure ulcers necessarily suffer from a vitamin deficiency as they are under stress. Supplementation should range from 500 to 1,000 mg of Vitamin C per day and adjusted to gender and nutritional conditions and interventions. Most authorities agree on 750 mg daily for women and 900 mg for men. These doses are high enough to supply patients with pressure ulcers with sufficient supply of Vitamin C for their condition (Collins).
Over and above, knowledge on the best practices for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers has remained wanting (Cuddigan et al. 2001). Appropriate clinical trials are not performed as often as needed and the funding is not readily available. Furthermore, the methods of translating research findings into clinical practice are not adequately developed for use. Interventions must be developed in order to detect nationwide decreases in the incidence of pressure ulcers (Cuddigan et al.).
The situation of pressure ulcer care has also been problematic (Cuddigan et al. 2001). Many facilities, which extend this type of care, have been encountering financial shortages, requiring reorganizations. Those who are experienced in pressure ulcer care are being terminated. Otherwise, the resources are either short or unavailable. These situations tend to make gains in pressure ulcer care quickly vanish (Cuddigan et al.).
Lastly, national records on pressure ulcer rates have remained incomplete and unreliable (Cuddigan et al. 2001). Hospital discharge records do not all reflect or include pressure ulcer cases even if the patients reach Stage III or IV. In addition, these records are unable to recognize and tally the difference between pressure ulcers at different stages and complications already present on admission. It is still a fact that pressure ulcer rates in these databases remain lower than those gathered in clinical studies, indicating the inaccuracy of the databases. Yet valid and complete information from these national databases is needed to provide accurate feedback to providers. They form the basis for sound clinical, educational and public policy decisions for the future (Cuddigan et al.).
Bibliography
Allman R.M. et al. (1995). Pressure Ulcer Risk Factors Among Hospitalized Patients with Activity Limitation. 5 pages. Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved on January 5, 2008 at http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/geriatrics/education/MedStudent/Geriatrics/SummerScholarsProgram/Section8.pdf
Berman, K (2007). Pressure Ulcer. 1 web page. MedlinePlus: National Institute of Health
Collins, N (2002). Vitamin C and Pressure Ulcers. 4 pages. Advances in Skin and Wound Care: Springhouse Corporation
Cuddigan, J. et al. (2001). Pressure Ulcers in America: Prevalence, Incidence and Implications for the Future. 9 pages. Advances in Skin and Wound Care: Springhouse Corporation
Ferguson, M., et al. (2000). Peptic Ulcer Management: the Importance of Nutrition. MedSurg Nursing: Jannetti Publications, Inc.
Thompson, P.A. (2000). Pressure Ulcers. 2 pages. Advances in Skin and Wound Care: Springhouse Corporation
Tutela, R. Jr., et al. (2004). Marjolin’s Ulcer Arising in a Pressure Ulcer. 3 pages. Advances in Skin and Wound Care: Springhouse Corporation
Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply
Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?
Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.
Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?
- Plagiarism free papers
- Timely delivery
- Any deadline
- Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
- Subject-relevant academic writer
- Adherence to paper instructions
- Ability to tackle bulk assignments
- Reasonable prices
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Get superb grades consistently
Online Academic Help With Different Subjects
Literature
Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.
Finance
Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.
Computer science
Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!
Psychology
While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.
Engineering
Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.
Nursing
In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.
Sociology
Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.
Business
We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!
Statistics
We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.
Law
Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.
What discipline/subjects do you deal in?
We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.
Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?
Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.
What if I don’t like the paper?
There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.
Reasons being:
- When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
- We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.
In the event that you don’t like your paper:
- The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
- We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
- Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.
Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?
Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.
What if the paper is plagiarized?
We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.
When will I get my paper?
You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.
Will anyone find out that I used your services?
We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.
How our Assignment Help Service Works
1. Place an order
You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.
2. Pay for the order
Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.
3. Track the progress
You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.
4. Download the paper
The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.
PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET A PERFECT SCORE!!!
