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Professional Practice: Clinical Practice Outcomes; Standards of Care
Wound: Product Selection and Innovations
Purpose:
Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers are a growing concern for hospitals and WOC clinicians are searching for ways to minimize their incidence.[1] In an effort to decrease hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, and to establish an effective treatment option for existing Deep Tissue Injuries and Stage I or II pressure ulcers, a previous study of the prophylactic use of soft silicone foam dressings on critical care patients was used to develop this study.[2]
Study Design: In a 32 bed critical care unit of mixed medical/surgical patients, the study was implemented using the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process improvement model.[3] During a 2 –week period, 104 CCU patients were assessed.
Those entered into the study included: Braden scores of less than 18, morbid obesity, cardiac arrest during admission; history of pressure ulcers, or existing Stage I, 2 or suspected deep tissue injury. Also included were patients exhibiting at least 3 of the following; incontinence, immobility, pre-albumin < 20, age over 65, diabetes, presence of restraints, and mechanical ventilation. 59 patients met the criteria for inclusion.
Patients included in the study had a soft silicone sacral dressing applied, and a daily assessment of their skin. Study patients were followed to discharge.
Results: Of the 59 patients treated with the soft silicone sacral dressing there were no hospital-acquired sacral pressure ulcers. 22 of those 59 patients presented with Stage 1, 2, or suspected deep tissue injury and all of the ulcers improved or showed no further deterioration.
Conclusion: The use of a soft silicone sacral foam dressing, when used in conjunction with other prevention measures, may help decrease microclimate components such as moisture, friction, and shear that contribute to sacral pressure ulcer incidence. Additionally, the condition of existing stage 1 and 2 pressure ulcers and suspected deep tissue injuries was improved or stabilized using the soft silicone foam sacral dressing.