Positioning, Ergonomics and Pressure Sores Flashcards

1
Q

Septicemia

A

A serious bloodstream infection. Occurs when a bacterial infection elsewhere in the body, such as the skin, enters the bloodstream. This is dangerous because the bacteria and their toxins can be carried through to entire body.

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2
Q

Reasons older populations develop skin problems

A
  • Reduced sensitivity of immune system
  • Reduced sebum secretion (dry, itchy skin)
  • Less melanin production (sensitive to sun)
  • Delayed wound healing
  • Sensory receptors diminish in capacity
  • Skin weakens, collagen loss, decreased elasticity
  • Reduced efficiency of sweat glands/dermal blood supply
  • Vascularity decreases in subcutaneous tissue (less pressure stops blood flow)
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3
Q

Substances that have negative affects when applied on older skin

A
  • Alkaline soaps (reduces skin thickness; alters pH)
  • Alcohol and Acetone (dehydrate skin)
  • Starches (reduce protective barrier)
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4
Q

Areas where most pressure ulcers occur

A

Over major weight-bearing body parts such as sacrum, heels and ischial tuberosities (sit bones).

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5
Q

Classification of Pressure Ulcers

A

Grade 1: Non-blanchable erythema of intact skin; discoloration; warmth; edema; hardness

Grade 2: Partial-thickness skin loss; superficial ulcer; abrasion/blister

Grade 3: Full-thickness skin loss; may extend down to—not through—underlying fascia

Grade 4: Extensive destruction; tissue necrosis; damage to muscle/bone/supporting structures; with/without full-thickness skin loss

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6
Q

Tissue Tolerance

A
Amount of pressure an individual can withstand before capillary occlusion. Reduced by:
• Low blood pressure
• Malnutrition
• Sustained pressure
• Patient immobility
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7
Q

Risk Factors for Pressure Ulcers

A
  • Older age
  • Incontinence
  • Poor skin hygiene
  • Immobility
  • Impaired nutrition/hydration
  • Altered consciousness
  • Sensory impairment
  • Comorbidity
  • Acute/Long-term/Terminal illness
  • Previous pressure damage
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8
Q

Problems that occur when sitting/lying without moving much

A

(in order of severity):
• Pressure sores
• Skin breakdown
• Decubitus ulcers

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9
Q

of Deaths in US Yearly Related to Hospital-Acquired Pressure Uclers?

A

60,000 yearly

Mortality rate 2-6x higher than those without pressure ulcers

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10
Q

% of New Nursing Home Pts with Pressure Sore

A

11-56%

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11
Q

Role of OT in Pressure Sores

A
  • Decide if Pt is at risk
  • Come up with solutions to prevent breakdown in advance
  • If already breakdown, come up with solutions to heal
  • Allow for most functional performance of ADLs
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12
Q

Schematic for OT Prevention/tx of Pressure Ulcers

A

1) Risk assessment and Skin assessment
2) Record the assessment
3) Develop a care plan
4) OT intervention (education, positioning, moisture, nutrition, etc.)
5) Reassessment
* * Return to Step 1

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13
Q

Risk Assessment – Person

A
  • Previous skin breakdown
  • Sensory impairment
  • Decreased consciousness (meds?)
  • Cognition (self-advocating?)
  • Pain (meds?)
  • Psycho-emotional status
  • Mobility
  • Skeletal deformity (protrusions? Scoliosis?)
  • Posture
  • Nutrition/Hydration
  • Incontinence
  • Positioning preference (sleeping position?)
  • Age
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14
Q

Risk Assessment – Environment

A
  • Pressure*
  • Shear*
  • Friction*
  • Moisture
  • Socio-economic status
  • Support surfaces over 24-hr period

*Biggest risk factors

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15
Q

Risk Assessment – Skin

A
  • Persistent erythema (redness)
  • Non-blanching redness
  • Blisters
  • Localized heat/coolness
  • Localized induration (hardening)
  • Localized edema
  • Purplish/bluish localized area (bruise)
  • Skin breakdown

**On darker skin, may not see all signs; look for discoloration, temp, raised areas

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16
Q

Bony Prominences most likely to have skin breakdown

A
  • Sacrum
  • Ischium
  • Iliac crest
  • Rib Cage
  • Elbows
  • Trochanters
  • Knees
  • Heels
  • Toes
  • T1 vertebra
  • Back of head
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17
Q

Scales to Predict Pressure Ulcer Risk

A

Norton Scale – 1962 – scores 5-20, with 14 indicating risk

**Braden Scale – 1980s – replaced Norton Scale and is still most widely-used; Score 6-23, with lower scores at-risk starting around 16-18

Waterlow Scale – 1987 – Never took off. Score betw 4-40, higher scores 10+ = at risk

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18
Q

Categories Graded in Braden Scale

A
• Sensory Perception (1-4)
• Moisture (1-4)
• Activity (1-4)
• Mobility (1-4)
• Nutrition (1-4)
• Friction and Shear (1-3)
** Higher score = LESS risk
19
Q

Braden Scale – Manage Moisture

A
  • Use commercial moisture barrier
  • Use absorbent pads/diapers that wick/hold
  • Address cause if possible
  • Offer bedpan/urinal and glass of water in conjunction with turning schedules
20
Q

Braden Scale – Manage Nutrition

A
  • Increase protein
  • Increase calorie intake to spare proteins
  • Supplement with multivitamin (A, C, E)
  • Act quickly to alleviate deficits
  • Consult dietician
21
Q

Braden Scale – Manage Friction and Shear

A
  • Elevate HOB no more than 30˚
  • Use trapeze when indicated
  • Use lift sheet to move patient
  • Protect elbows and heels if exposed to friction
22
Q

Braden Scale – Other General Care

A
  • No massage of reddened bony prominences
  • No donut type devices
  • Maintain good hydration
  • Avoid drying the skin
23
Q

Braden Scale – Predictive Cut-Off Values

A

Acute Care: 16
Home Residents: 18
Home Health Patients: 19
*Considered at risk at these scores or lower

24
Q

Stage 1 Pressure Sore

A
  • Skin intact
  • Red skin that doesn’t lighten/blanch when touched
  • On darker skin, may be no color change but also doesn’t blanch; may be bluish or ashen
  • Site may be painful, firm, soft, warmer or cooler than surrounding skin
25
Q

Stage 2 Pressure Sore

A
  • Open wound
  • Outer layer of skin (epidermis) and part of underlying layer (dermis) are damaged/lost
  • Ulcer may appear as shallow pinkish-red, basin-like wound
  • May also appear as intact or ruptured blister
26
Q

Stage 3 Pressure Sore

A
  • Ulcer is now a deep wound
  • Loss of skin exposes some fat
  • Ulcer has crater-like appearance
  • Bottom of wound may have yellowish dead tissue (slough)
  • Damage may extend beyond primary wound below layers of healthy skin
27
Q

Stage 4 Pressure Sore

A
  • Ulcer exhibits large-scale loss of tissue
  • Wound may expose muscle, bone and tendons
  • Bottom of wound likely contains slough or dark, crusty, dead tissue (eschar)
  • Damage extends beyond primary wound below layers of healthy skin
28
Q

Treatment Options for Stages of Pressure Sores

A

Stage 1: Pressure relief

Stage 2: Pressure relief, keep tissue clean/moist (avoid scabs)

Stage 3: Pressure relief, remove infected tissue (Wound Care steps in)

Stage 4: Pressure relief, remove infected tissue (Wound Care still involved)

29
Q

Preventing Skin Breakdown

A
  • Diligent inspection of skin by therapist, nurse, caregiver, AND patient
  • Patients may need a mirror to check all areas of body
  • Remember: Skin damage can occur in as little as 30 minutes!
30
Q

General Tips on Pressure Relief

A
  • NO DONUTS
  • No evidence for sheepskin/egg crates helping, but don’t hurt
  • Turn pt every 2 hours
  • Keep back at 30˚ to bed (alleviates pressure on trochanter and lateral malleolus)
  • Float heels
  • Keep HOB at lowest possible angle to minimize shear stress/slippage
  • Drawsheet and trapeze can reduce shear
31
Q

Equipment to Prevent Skin Breakdown

A
  • Wheelchair seat cushions (custom or off-the-shelf)
  • Padding for bony prominences (ie: heel and elbow cuffs)
  • Adjustments to hospital bed (raise/lower entire bed, food/head, chair position, etc.)
  • Rotating Bed (allows continuous turning of immobilized pt)
  • “Freedom Bed” (lateral rotation therapy) – seen in hospitals
  • Rotating air mattress (slowly/gently rotates 24 hr/day)
  • Alternating Pressure Mattress (seen in SNFs; cheaper option)
32
Q

Ergonomics (def.)

A

Science of designing a person’s environment so it facilitates the highest level of function.

33
Q

Anthropometrics

A

Science that measures range of body sizes in a population.
• Considered in design of products/work spaces
• Engineers design for size range from 5th percentile female to 95th percentile male (about 64-68” height)

34
Q

Ergonomic Injury Risk Assessment

A

Some jobs cause injury due to:
• Repetitive movement
• Heavy lifting
• Awkward body position

Ergonomists evaluate workers to determine injury risk with assessments like REBA.

35
Q

Rapid Entire Body Evaluation (REBA)

A
Tool used by ergonomists to determine risk of work-related injury. Analyzes/scores:
• Part A: Neck, Trunk and Legs
• Part B: Arm and Wrist
• Adds “Activity Score”
• Total (1-11+) indicates risk level. 
1=Negligible
11+=Very High Risk
36
Q

OTA Role in Ergonomics

A
  • IDENTIFY AND ELIMINATE: accident/injury risk factors in workplace
  • ANALYZE: job functions/descriptions based on tasks
  • DESIGN: pre-hire screenings to determine suitability to job
  • MODIFY: tools/equipment
  • PROVIDE: education/training on prevention
  • DETERMINE: accommodations in compliance with ADA
  • RECOMMEND: changes employer can make
37
Q

Workplace Injury Factors

A
  • Repetition of movement
  • Force
  • Fixed/awkward postures
  • Poorly designed tool handles
  • Heavy loads
  • Distance
  • Vibration
  • Noise
  • Extreme temperatures
  • Poor lighting
  • Psychosocial/occupational stressors
38
Q

Factors of Body Position

A
  • Head posture
  • Spinal curves
  • Seated posture
  • Arm position
  • Wrist/hand position
39
Q

Ideal Sitting Position

A
  • Back straight
  • Shoulders back
  • Butt touching back of chair
  • 3 normal back curves
  • Even weight distribution on hips
  • Knees at 90˚, even or slightly higher than hips (use foot rest if needed)
  • Feet flat on floor
40
Q

Friction

A

The resistance to motion in a parallel direction relative to the common boundary of two surfaces.

41
Q

Pressure

A

The force per unit area exerted perpendicular to the plane of interest.

42
Q

Shear

A

The force per unit area exerted parallel to the plane of interest.

43
Q

Mechanical Load

A

Force distribution acting on a surface.

44
Q

Force

A

A push-pull vector with magnitude (qty) and direction (pressure, shear) that is capable of maintaining/altering the position of a body.