The skin and wound healing Flashcards
How much does pressure area care cost the NHS everyday?
£1.4 million as 4-10% of hospitalised patients will develop a pressure ulcer
What are the common types of skin damage?
Pressure ulcers
Surgical wounds
Traumatic wounds
Ulcerating cancers (fungating wounds)
Burns
Non-infectious/infectious conditions
Chronic LT conditions
Allergies
What is the nurses role in skin care? (7 roles)
Asses and monitor the patients skin, skin mapping
Identify risk factors and use methods to reduce them
Carry out wound care - dressings, removal of sutures, debridement
Assist in personal hygiene - continence needs
Reposition the patient according to individual care plan
Refer patients to MDT
Administer prescription medications as directed
What does SSKIN stand for?
Surface
Skin inspection
Keep patient moving
Incontinence/moisture
Nutrition/hydration
What does surface of SSKIN refer to?
Making sure patients have the right support
Use of equipment
What does skin inspection of SSKIN refer to?
Early inspection means early detection, show patients and carers what to look for
What does incontinence/moisture of SSKIN refer to?
Patients need to be clean and dry - moisture will damage the Stratum Corneum
What does nutrition/hydration of SSKIN refer to?
Help patients have the right diet and plenty of fluids
MUST score, referral to dieticians
What does Keep moving of SSKIN involve?
Assessment, repositioning schedule, prevention
What is the assessment tool used to evaluate risk of pressure ulcers in adults?
Waterlow Risk Assessment
What is the assessment tool used to evaluate risk of pressure ulcers in children?
Braden Q - focus on occipital area
How can skin be assessed using observation?
Colour, mottling, dry, loose, oedematous, wounds, abrasion, bruise, deformity, burn, erythema, flakiness, self hygiene
How can skin be assessed using touch?
Clammy/sweaty/moist, soiled/wet, sensitive/exaggerated, sensation, dry, cap refill < 2 secs - peripheral, central
How can skin be assessed using positioning?
Ability to re-position, pain on movement
How can skin be assessed using clothing?
Loose, restrictive, soiled
How can skin be assessed using current medications?
Creams, steroids, allergies
How can skin be assessed using skin conditions?
Chronic, acute, infectious
What is a Pressure Ulcer (PU)?
A localised injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue, usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure, or pressure combination with shear
A number of contributing or confounding factors are also associated with pressure ulcers - microclimate, friction, excessive moisture
What is a Medical Device Related Pressure Ulcer (MDRPU)?
A pressure ulcer that has developed due to sustained pressure from a medical device such as plaster casts, splints, oxygen therapy masks, tracheostomy tubing or urinary catheters
What is Moisture Associated Skin Damage (MASD)?
A reactive response of the skin to chronic exposure to excessive moisture from sweat, urine, faecal matter or wound exudate, which could be observed as an inflammation and erythema with or without erosion
Typically there is a loss of the epidermis and the skin appears macerated, red, broken and painful
What are the factors to consider in a wound assessment?
Mechanisms will affect treatment and healing
Bacterial loading - time, mechanism, initial first aid
Appearance - active bleeding, slough, necrosis
Map the wound/photograph (with patient consent)
Categorise the wound
What can a wound be categorised as in a wound assessment?
Vascular - arterial/venous/both
Neuropathic (diabetic)
Moisture associated dermatitis
Skin tear
Pressure ulcer
May be multi-factorial
What are the stages of pressure ulcers?
Stage 1 - skin is unbroken but inflamed
Stage 2 - skin is broken to epidermis or dermis
Stage 3 - ulcer extends to subcutaneous fat layer
Stage 4 - ulcer extends to muscle or bone