Reflective Essay Nursing

Practice event reflection - description, analysis, synthesis and evaluation

[Name of the Institute]

Contents

Introduction2

Pressure Ulcer Development2

Experience of Nurses3

Assessment of patients4

Pre-operative measures5

Evaluation5

Prevention of pressure ulcer6

Experience, techniques and training7

Preventive measures7

Guidelines and assessment tools for prevention8

Search strategy9

Results and discussion9

References11

Practice event reflection - description, analysis, synthesis and evaluation

Introduction

The aim and objective of this assignment is to analyze the patient of pressure ulcer development and identify the factors which are necessary for the assessment of the patient. Moreover, how the evaluation of elderly patients who are suffering from pressure ulcer development? The role of nurses in delivering the treatment to the patients of pressure ulcer development. This assignment will outline a comprehensive strategy for the treatment of pressure ulcer development which will include appropriate devices for the nurses, the role of assistants, surgeons and anesthetist, communication among the nurses, surgeons and assistants, history of the patients suffering from pressure ulcer, pre-operative measures for the patients and finally the evaluation process.

Pressure Ulcer Development

Pressure ulcers are the result of skin injuries or tissue which generally occurs in lean patients. The most vulnerable areas of developing this ulcer are the coccyx, sacrum, heels and hips but it can also occur on knees, elbows and back of the cranium. The pressure ulcer risk assessment tool is helpful to assess potential of the patient danger of developing pressure sores and to find out the degree of harm by pressure. High pressure on a particular part of the body leads to lymphatic circulation which gets impaired and in the compressed tissues hypo perfusion develops, which results in a blood flow which is compromised and toxic intracellular material accumulates leading to interstitial haemorrhage, hypoxia, cellular death and acidosis. The amount of damage is affected by both the intensity and duration of pressure. Reperfusion/ischemic injury results when tissue perfusion is re-established after a long period of high loading, This has been highly implicated in damage by tissue, localized compression is highly susceptible in muscles which eventually leads to degeneration of tissues in the form of deep pressure ulcer that usually progresses towards the surface of the skin. During an acute care hospitalization the pressure ulcers develop. The individuals whose activities are restricted to their chairs and beds only develop ulcers at least till stage 2 during hospitalization. In nursing homes quarter of people in nursing homes have pressure ulcers most of which are stage 2 and 1(Serpa, Gomboski & Rosado, 2009, pp. 642).

Experience of Nurses

In acute care settings the development of pressure ulcers is a common problem. For the development of many types of wounds, critically ill patients are at high risk. It is a nurse's responsibility to prevent development of pressure ulcers by providing an excellent nursing care. Some risk factors such as underlying disease processes, advanced age and illness severities are not modifiable yet they are responsible to directly increase a patient's risk of development of wound (Morison, 2001, pp.165). The pressure ulcers are injuries to the underlying tissues and skin that results from a prolong pressure on the ...