Risk of Pressure Ulcer Development in Home Care Service

The elderly home Care has a relevant importance due to the chronic diseases that lead to stillness and impaired skin integrity. The appearing of Pressure Ulcers may affect elderly as a consequence of these factors that may be associated to the problems that most affect the elderly population.  The pressure ulcers increase the period of internment, and costs to the home health care service. This study was developed with the aim of checking the PU development risk through the use of Braden Scale. This study uses descriptive statistics and It was developed in the houses of the patients in Fortaleza-Ce. The population was composed by 39 patients. The sample group was composed by 35 (100%) elderly people aging 80 years old and older, 24 (68.6%) females, 14 (40.0%) males with an income of 2 to 4 minimum salaries, 20 (57.1%) had been assisted by home care for more than 1 year. Concerning the illness that caused the internments,17 (48.6%) patients were affected by dementia, 27 (77.1%) presented good integrity skin, 05 (14.4%) were admitted with PU and 03 (8.6%) developed PU after the home care implementation. To prevent PU 35 (100%) patients used supporting surface, 32 (91.5%) used specific mattress, 32 (91.4%) were subject to changes in position in the bed, 13 (37.1%) each 2 hours, 21 (60%) were subject to postural change while seated, skin hydration was observed in 34 (97.1%) cases, diapers change each 3 hours was identified in 27 (77.1%) cases. Braden´s Scale use demonstrated that 15 (42.8%) patients were in risk of developing PU, 11 (31.4%) presented moderate risk, 04 (11.4%) low risk and 02 (5.7%) severe risk. We concluded that although the implementation of prevention activities 3 (8.5%) patients presented skin integrity changes, demonstrating that supervising the prevention activities is needed.
Keywords: Pressure Ulcer; Home Nursing; Prevention.