Skin Integrity Flashcards
Who has the responsibility to assess & monitor the skin?
The nurse
What is the purpose of skin?
protection
sensory
Vitamin D synthesis
Fluid balance
natural flora
How should we assess the skin?
inspect entire body
visual & tactile
assess any rases or lesions
note hair distribution
skin color
blanch test
What should we pay special attention to on the skin?
where there are bony prominences
During the skin assessment what should we identify?
the pt’s risk
signs/symptoms of impaired skin or wound healing
What should we examine skin for?
Actual impairment
What are the focuses we should have when looking at the skin?
level of sensation, movement, & continence
When should we assess the skin?
when pt is admitted
once per shift after admission
How often we should assess high-risk pt’s?
assess every 4 hrs or more often
Where should we palpate skin?
on areas of redness to determine if skin is blanchable
What areas should we pay special attention to?
bony prominences
medical devices
areas with adhesive tape
Braden scale sensory perception: What does 1. Completely limited mean?
unresponsive
limited ability to feel pain over most of the body
Braden Scale sensory perception: What does 2. Very limited mean?
painful stimuli
cannot communicate discomfort
sensory impairment over half the body
Braden Scale Sensory perception: What does 3. Slightly limited mean?
verbal commands
cannot always communicate discomfort
sensory impairment 1-2 extemities
Braden scale sensory perception: What does 4. no impairment mean?
verbal commands
no sensory deficit
Braden scale moisture: What does 1. Constantly moist mean?
perspiration, urine, etc
always
Braden scale moisture: what does 2. very moist mean?
often but not always
linen changed @ least once per shift
braden scale moisture: what does 3. occasionally moist mean?
extra linen changed qday
braden scale moisture: what does 4. rarely moist mean?
usually dry
Braden scale activity: what does 1. bedfast mean?
never oob
braden scale activity: what does 2. chairfast mean?
ambulation severely limited to non-existent
cannot bear own wt - assisted to chair
braden scale activity: what does 3. walks occasionally mean?
short distances daily w/ or w/o assistance
majority of time in bed or chair
braden scale activity: what does 4. walks frequently mean?
outside room 2 x per day
inside room q 2 hrs during waking hrs
braden scale mobility: what does 1. completely immobile mean?
makes no change in body or extremity position
braden scale mobility: what does 2. very limited mean?
occasional slight changes in position
unable to make frequent/significant changes independently
braden scale mobility: what does 3. slightly limited mean?
frequent slight changes independently
braden scale mobility: what does 4. no limitation mean?
major & frequent cahnges w/out assistance
Braden scale nutrition: what does 1. very poor mean?
never eats complete meal, very little protein
NPO, clear liquids, IV >5 days
Braden scale nutrition: what does 2. probably inadequate mean?
rarely eats complete meal, some protein
occasionally takes dietary supplements
receives less than optimum liquid diet
braden scale nutrition: what does 3. adequate mean?
eats over 1/2 of most meals, adequate protein
usually takes a supplement
tube feeding or TPN probably meets nutritional needs
braden scale nutrition: what does 4. excellent mean?
eats most of meal, never refuses, plenty of protein
occasionally eats b/w meals
does not require supplements
braden scale friction & shear: what does 1. problem mean?
moderate to maximum assistance in moving
frequently slides down in bed or chair
spasticity, contractures or agitation leads to almost constant friction
braden scale friction & sheer: what does 2. potential problem mean?
moves feebly, requires minimum assistance
skin probably slides against sheets
relatively good position in chair or bed w/ occasional sliding
braden scale friction & sheer: what does 2. potential problem mean?
moves feebly, requires minimum assistance
skin probably slides against sheets
relatively good position in chair or bed w/ occasional sliding
braden scale friction & sheer: what does 3. no apparent problem mean?
moves on bed & chair independently
sufficient muscle strength to lift up completely during move
good position in bed or chair
Braden scale scores: low risk 15-18 are what components?
regular turning schedule
enable as much activity as possible
protect heels
mange moisture, fiction & sheer
braden scale scores: moderate risk 13-14 are what components?
regular turning schedule
enable as much activity as possible
protect heels
manage moisture, frictio & sheer
position pt @ 30 degree lateral incline w/ wedges or pillowa
braden scale scores: high risk 12 or less are what components?
regular turning schedule
enable as much activity as possible
protect heels
manage moisture, friction & sheer
position pt @ 30 degree lateral incline
make small shifts in position frequently
pressure redistribution surface
How often should we reposition pt’s?
frequently
How long should pt’s sit in the chair?
no more than 2 hours if not contraindicated
What other interventions can help prevent pressure injures?
keeping HOB @ 30 degrees & keeping a schedule of repositioning
What is a stage 1 wound characteristics?
nonblanchable redness
What is a stage 2 wound characteristics?
partial thickness
What is a stage 3 wound characteristics?
full-thickness skin loss
What is a stage 4 wound characteristics?
full-thickness tissue loss
What are unstageable/unclassified wound charateristics?
full-thickness skin or tissue
loss-depth
unknown
What is the depth of a suspected deep pressure wound?
unknown
What is our early intervention protocol acronym?
CHANT
What does C in CHANT stand for?
Cleanse
What does H in CHANT stand for?
hydrate (& protect) skin
What does A stand for in CHANT?
alleviate pressure
What does the N stand for in CHANT
nourish
What does the T stand for in CHANT?
treat
What should we do for a red/excoriated peri/rectal area to intervene for wounds?
cleanse
dry throughly
moisture barrier daily & prn
How can we intervene in wound prevention when we see redness/excoriation b/w skin folds?
cleanse
dry throughly
place inner dry or dry AG textile in skin folds
How can we intervene in wounds for red heels?
position pressure off heels
elevate on pillows
sage boot
reduce friction
How can we intervene in wounds for a red sacral/coccyx area?
change positions q 1-2 hrs
HOB <30 degrees unless contraindicated
avoid excess moisture
frequent peri care
wrinkle free linen
What are nursing priorites for skin?
assessing & monitoring skin integrity
identifying risks for skin problems
identifying present skin problems
planning, implementing, & evaluating interventions to maintain skin integrity
Inflammatory response: what is sequential response to cell injury?
neutralizes & dilutes inflammatory agent
removes necrotic materials
establishes an environment suitable for healing repair
Does inflammation equal infection? Why or why not?
No, inflammation is always present w/ infection, but infection is not always present w/ inflammation
Which conditions can an inflammatory response occur?
surgical wounds, other skin injuries
allergies
autoimmune diseases
skin infection
What does wound mean?
any disruption of the integrity & function of tissues in the body
What is important for wound healing?
wound assessment & classification
What can cause an inflammatory response in the first 24 hrs?
tissue trauma
Is the mechanism the same for inflammatory response regardless of the injury?
yes
What does the intensity of the inflammatory response depend on?
extent & severity of the injury
reactive capacity of the injured person
What is the vascular response to inflammation?
increased capillary permeability, fluid moves into tissue spaces
Results in redness, heat, & swelling @ site of injury & surrounding areas
What are local responses to inflammation?
redness
heat
pain
swelling
loss of function
What are systemic response to inflammation?
increased WBC count
Malaise
Nausea & anorexia
Increased pulse & RR
Fever
What can cause systemic response to systemic response to inflammation?
complement activation & release of cytokines
Types of inflammation: Acute
healing in 2-3 wks, no residual damage
neutrophils predominant cell type @ site
Types of inflammation: subacute
same feature as acute but lasts longer
Types of inflammation: chronic
may last for years
injurious agent persists or repeats injury t site
predominate cell types are lymphocytes & macrophages
may result from changes in immune system
How do we promote good health with wounds?
prevention
adequate nutrition
early recognition of injury/inflammation
immediate treatment
What is the final phase of inflammatory process?
wound healing
What two major components are part of healing?
regeneration & repair
What does regeneration mean?
replacement of lost cells & tissues w/ cels of the same type
What does repair mean?
healing as a result of lost cells being replaced by connective tissue, results in scar formation
- more common
- more complex
- occurs by primary, secondary, or tertiary intention
What 3 phases are apart of healing by primary intention?
initial phase
granulation phase
maturation phase
What does the initial phase mean?
3-5 days, acute inflammation response
What does the granulation phase mean?
fibroblasts secrete collagen, wound pink & vascular, risk for dehiscence, resistant to infection
What does the maturation phase mean?
this is where scar formation occurs
begins 7 days after injury, continues for months/yrs, fibroblasts disappear, wound becomes stronger, mature scar forms
What does healing by secondary intention mean?
wounds from trauma, ulceration, & infection have large amounts of exudate & wide, irregular wound margins w/ extensive tissue loss
edges cannot be approximated
How do can wounds with secondary intention heal?
healing process is same as primary, but inflammatory reaction may be greater, wound may need to be debrided before healing can take place
How does tertiary wound intention occur?
delayed primary intention due to delayed suturing of wound
occurs when a contaminated wound is left open & sutured closed after infection is controlled
Partial thickness wounds: What are the 3 components of healing?
inflammatory response
epithelial proliferation & migration
reestablishment of epidermal layers
Full-thickness wounds: What are the 4 components of healing?
hemostasis
inflammatory phase
proliferative phase
maturation
How do full-thickness wounds that extend into the dermis heal?
heal by scar formation
What factors influence wound healing?
nutrition
tissue perfusion
infection
age
How does nutrition impact wound healing?
Protein, Vitamins (ESP. A & C), & trace minerals of zinc & copper
Adequate calories
How does tissue prefusion impact wound healing?
oxygen fuels cellular functions
How does infection impact wound healing?
prolong the inflammatory stage, delays collagen synthesis,. prevents epithelialization, increases cytokine production
How does age impact wound healing?
decreased function of macrophage leads to delayed inflammatory response in older adults
What are complications of wound healing?
hemorrhage
hematoma
infection
dehiscence
evisceration
What does hemorrhage mean?
abnormal internal or external blood loss may be caused by suture failure, clotting abnormalities, dislodged clot, infection or erosion of a blood vessel (tubing, drains) or infection process
What does hematoma mean?
extravasation of enough size to cause visible swelling