Module 8:Pt.2 Skin integrity and pressure injuries Flashcards
What are pressure injuries
Localized to the skin and underlying tissue, usually over bony prominences as a result of pressure, shear or friction.
What affects pressure injuries
Pressure shear friction moisture nutrition perfusion comorbidities
Why are older adults more likely to get pressure injuries
- Reduced elasticity of the skin, thinking
- polypharmacy (Taking multiple medications at once)
- medical conditions
- easily torn skin
- diminished inflammatory and immune system
- reduced hypodermic
- decreased nutritional intake
What is the pathogenesis of a pressure injury (3)
1) Intensity
2) Duration
3) Tissue tolerance
What is tissue ischemia
reduction of blood flow which can cause decreased sensation or tissue death
What is hyperemia
Redness, if it blanches it is bleaching hyperemia
What does it mean when a wound is non-blanching
possible dead tissue damage
but darkly pigmented skin doesn’t blanch
What extrinsic factors effect the tolerance of skin to pressure injuries
Shear, friction and moisture
What intrinsic factors effect the skins tolerance to pressure injuries
Poor nutrition, age, blood pressure
Risk factors for pressure injury development
1) Impaired sensory perception
2) Impaired mobility
3) Alteration in level of consciousness
4) Shear
5) Friction
6) Moisture
7) Nutriton
8) Tissue perfusion
9) Infection
10) pain
11) age
12) psychosocial impact of the wound
What is sheer?
Force exerted parallel to the skin and results on gravity pushing the body down.
happens when head of the bed is up to high or transfer onto a surface.
The subcutaneous layers adhere while the muscles and bones slider elsewhere causing necrosis
What is necrosis
Death of tissues
What kind of nutrition prevents skin wounds
High protein Prealbumin is the best biological indicator for malnutrition
- Calories for fuel and protection
- Protein for wound and immune function
- Vitamin C for collagen and capillary wall
- Vitamin A for wound closure and inflammation
- Zinc for collagen and cell membrane
- Fluid for cell environment
What is tissue perfusion
when the tissue needs oxygen can happen in shock or diabetes
What are signs that a wound is infected
Pain and tenderness Erethema( Redness) Edema Induration (firmness) Purulent discharge Warmth fever chills odour elevated WBC delayed healing
Assessment questions to ask
- Sensation (any loss or increased sensitivity)
- Mobility (Any limits?)
- Continence (any difficulty)
- presence of a wound (NOPQRSTUV)
Can you classify a wound if its covered with necrotic tissue?
No its dead tissue on top
You cannot tell how deep it is
Include % of nonviable tissue
and viable tissue
What are the characteristics of a suspected deep tissue injury
Skin: Intact or non intact
- nonblachable deep red purple discolouration
- separation revealing dark would bed or blood filled blister
- result from intense or prolonged pressure and shear focus
- may evolve rapidly or resolve without an issue
What are the characteristics of a stage 1 Pressure injury
- Intact skin
- Nonblanchable erythema
- changes in sensation, colour, temp or firmness
- NOT MAROON OR PURPLE
Characteristics of stage 2 pressure injury
- Exposed dermis
- pink or red wound bed
- moist or a blister
- fat not visable
- no granulation tissue, slough or eschar
Characteristics of stage 3 Pressure injury
- Fat in skin is visible deep below
- Granulation tissue and epibole (rounded edges) are present
- slough and eschar might be present
- No tendon, muscle or bone exposed
Characteristics of stage 4 pressure injury
- Full thickness of skin an tissue loss with exposed and palpable tendon muscle ligament and bone
- Slough and eschar probably visible
- epibole, undermining and tunneling
Characteristics of an unstagable pressure injury
Extend of tissue loss cannot be confirmed because it is obstructed by slough or eschar
- Stable eschar should sometimes not be removed
- a stage 3 or 4 pressure injury will be underneath
what is slough
dead skin tissues
-stringy substance attached to wound bed that needs to be detached before it can heal