Pressure Injury (PI) Prevention

 

OVERVIEW

A. Prevention of PI

B. Early recognition of PI development and skin changes

 

BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

A. PI 2009: occurrence data reported for 2009 (VanGilder et al., 2009)

  1. All U.S. facilities
    • Overall prevalence: 12.3%
    • FA prevalence: 5.0%
    • Prevalence excluding stage 1: 9.0%
    • FA prevalence excluding stage 1: 3.2%
  2. Acute care

B. Etiology and/or epidemiology

  1. Risk factors (immobility, undernutrition or malnutrition, incontinence, friable skin, impaired cognitive ability)
  2. Higher incidence of stage 2 and higher in persons with darkly pigmented skin

PARAMETERS OF ASSESSMENT

A. Perform a structured pressure ulcer risk assessment that includes complete skin assessment, consideration of all risk factors, and inclusion of subscale scores as well as total score when using a valid risk assessment tool (National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel [NPUAP] et al., 2014).

  1. Inspect the skin regularly for color changes, such as redness in lightly pigmented persons and discoloration in darkly pigmented persons (European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel [EPUAP] et al., 2019).
  2. Look at the skin located under any medical device (e.g., catheters, oxygen, airway or ventilator tubing, face masks, braces, collars) at least twice daily and more frequently in persons with fluid shifts or localized or generalized edema; NPUAP et al., 2014).
  3. Palpate the skin for changes in temperature (warmth), edema, or hardness.
  4. Ask the patient whether they have any areas of pain or discomfort over bony prominences.

B. Assess for intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors.

C. Use Braden Scale risk score—18 or less for older adults and persons with darkly pigmented skin; also pay attention to low subscale scores.

NURSING CARE STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS

A. Risk assessment documentation

  1. Document risk assessment on admission to any care setting.
  2. Reassess at intervals, taking into account the patient’s acuity, any change in condition, and based on patient care setting:
    • Based on patient acuity every 24 to 48 hours on general units
    • Critically ill patients every 12 hours
  3. Use a reliable and standardized tool as part of a comprehensive risk assessment, such as the Braden Scale. Do not rely only on a standardized tool for risk assessment!
  4. Document risk assessment scores and implement prevention protocols based on overall scores, low subscale scores, and the comprehensive assessment of other risk factors.
  5. Assess surgical patients for increased risk of PI, including the following factors: length of operation, number of hypotensive episodes, and/or low-core temperatures intraoperatively, as well as reduced mobility on first day postoperatively.

B. General care issues and interventions

  1. Culturally sensitive early assessment for stage 1 PI in patients with darkly pigmented skin
    • Use a halogen light to look for skin color changes—may be purple hues or other discoloration based on the patient’s skin tone.
    • Compare skin over bony prominences with surrounding skin—may be boggy or stiff, or warmer or cooler.
  2. Prevention recommendations
    • Skin care (NPUAP et al., 2014)
      • Assess skin regularly.
      • Clean the skin at the time of soiling; avoid hot water and irritating cleaning agents.
      • Use emollients on dry skin.
      • Do not massage bony prominences as a PI prevention strategy; do not vigorously rub skin at risk for PI.
      • Protect skin from moisture-associated damage (e.g., urinary and/or fecal incontinence, perspiration, wound exudates) by using barrier products.
      • Use lubricants, protective dressings, and proper lifting techniques to avoid skin injury from friction and shear during transferring and turning of patients. Avoid drying out the patient’s skin; use lotion after bathing.
      • Avoid hot water and soaps that are drying when bathing older adults. Use body wash and skin protectant (Hunter et al., 2003).
      • Teach the patient, caregivers, and staff the prevention protocol.
      • Manage moisture by determining the cause; use absorbent pad that wicks moisture away from the skin.
      • Consider protecting high-risk areas, such as elbows, heels, and sacrum, prophylactically from friction injury using foam dressing (NPUAP et al., 2014).
    • Repositioning and support surfaces
      • Assess the skin and other patient characteristics, as well as PI risk, and consider using the wound, ostomy, and continence nurse (WOCN) evidence and consensus-based support surface algorithm (McNichol et al., 2015).
      • Keep patients off the reddened areas of skin.
      • Repositioning schedules should be individualized on the basis of the patient’s condition, care goals, vulnerable skin areas, and type of support surface being used (NPUAP et al., 2014).
      • Communicate the repositioning schedule to all the patient’s caregivers.
      • Raise the heels of bedbound patients off the bed using either pillows or heel protection devices; do not use donut-type devices (Gilcreast et al., 2005).
      • Use a 30-degree tilted, side-lying position; do not place patients directly in a 90-degree, side-lying position on their trochanter.
      • Keep the head of the bed at lowest height possible.
      • Use transfer and lifting devices (trapeze, bed linen) to move patients rather than dragging them in bed during transfers and position changes.
      • Use pressure-reducing devices (static air; alternating air, gel, or water mattresses; Hampton & Collins, 2005; Iglesias et al., 2006). Use higher specification foam mattresses rather than standard hospital mattress for patients at risk for PI. If the patient cannot be frequently repositioned manually, use an active support surface (overlay or mattress).
      • Use high-specification reactive or alternating pressure support surfaces on the operating table for patients identified at risk of developing PI. Additional support surfaces, such as facial pads, are needed for patients in the prone position (NPUAP et al., 2014).
      • Reposition chair-bound or wheelchair-bound patients every hour. In addition, if the patient is capable, have them do small weight shifts every 15 minutes.
      • Use a pressure-reducing device (not a donut) for chair-bound patients.
      • Keep the patient as active as possible; encourage mobilization.
      • Avoid positioning the patient directly on their trochanter.
      • Avoid using donut-shaped devices.
      • Offer a bedpan or urinal in conjunction with turning schedules.
      • Keep the heels off the bed using heel suspension devices or other equipment that also avoids placing pressure on the Achilles tendon (NPUAP et al., 2014).
      • Manage friction and shear:
        1. Elevate the head of the bed no more than 30 degrees.
        2. Have the patient use a trapeze or other transfer devices to lift self up in bed.
        3. Staff should use transfer devices, a lift sheet, or mechanical lifting device to move the patient.
    • Nutrition
      • Assess nutritional status of patients at risk for PI.
      • Assess and monitor weight status (NPUAP et al., 2014).
      • For at-risk patient, follow nutritional guidelines for hydration (1 mL/kcal of fluid/d), calories (30–35 kcal/kg of body weight/d), and protein (1.25–1.5 g/kg/d). Give high-protein supplements or tube feedings in addition to the usual diet in persons at nutritional and pressure ulcer risk (NPUAP et al., 2014; Posthauer et al., 2015).
      • Manage nutrition.
      • Consult a dietitian and correct nutritional deficiencies by increasing protein and calorie intake and A, C, or E vitamin supplements as needed (CMS, 2004; Houwing et al., 2003).
      • Offer a glass of water with turning schedules to keep the patient hydrated.

C. Interventions linked to Braden risk scores (Ayello & Braden, 2001): Prevention protocols linked to Braden risk scores

  1. At risk: score of 15 to 18
    • Frequent repositioning and turning; use a written schedule
    • Maximize patient’s mobility.
    • Protect patient’s heels.
    • Use a pressure-reducing support surface if patient is bedbound or chair-bound.
  2. Moderate risk: score of 13 to 14
    • Same as cited, but provide foam wedges for 30-degree lateral position.
  3. High risk: score of 10 to 12
    • Same as cited, but add the following (“b” and “c”).
    • Increase the turning frequency.
    • Do small shifts of position.
  4. Very high risk: score of 9 or less
    • Same as cited, but use a pressure-relieving surface.
    • Manage moisture, nutrition, and friction and shear.

EVALUATION AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES

A. Patient

  1. Skin will remain intact.
  2. Pressure ulcer will heal.

B. Provider or nurse

  1. They will accurately perform PI risk assessment using standardized tool.
  2. They will perform a skin assessment for early detection of PI.

C. Institution

  1. The institution will reduce the development of new PI.
  2. The institution will increase the number of risk assessments performed.
  3. The institution will develop cost-effective prevention protocols.

FOLLOW-UP MONITORING OF CONDITION

A. Monitor the effectiveness of prevention interventions.

B. Monitor healing of any existing PI.

ABBREVIATIONS

CMS           Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

EPUAP       European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

FA              facility-acquired

NPUAP      National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

PI               pressure injury

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Updated: January 2025

Boltz PhD, RN, GNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN, M., Capezuti, PhD, RN, FAAN, E.A., & Fulmer PhD, RN, FAAN, T. T. (2025). Evidence-Based Geriatric Nursing Protocols for Best Practice (7th ed.). Springer Publishing. Retrieved December 17, 2024, from https://www.springerpub.com/evidence-based-geriatric-nursing-protocols-for-best-practice-9780826152763.html#tableofcontents

Chapter 30, Persaud-Jaimangal, R., Ayello, E.A., Zaman, M. & Sibbald, R.G. (2025) Pressure Injuries and Skin Tears

 

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Moore, Z., McEvoy, N. L., Avsar, P., McEvoy, L., Curley, G., O’Connor, T., Budri, A., Nugent, L., Walsh, S., Bourke, F., & Patton, D., & Patton, D. (2021). Facial pressure injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic: Skin protection care to enhance staff safety in an acute hospital setting. Journal of Wound Care, 30(3), 162–170. https://doi.org/10.12968/jowc.2021.30.3.162

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Petkovska, G. (2022). Pressure injuries in a community hospice service: An explorative study. Wound Practice & Research, 30(4), 229.

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Sibbald, R. G., Elliot, J. A., Persaud-Jaimangel, R., Goodman, L., Armstrong, D. G., Harley, C., Coelho, S., Xi, N., Evans, R., Mayer, D. O., Zhao, X., Heil, J., Kotru, B., Delmore, B., LeBlanc, K., Ayello, E. A., Smart, H., Tariq, G., Alavi, A., & Somayaji, R. (2021). Wound Bed Preparation 2021. Advances in Skin & Wound Care, 34(4), 183–195. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ASW.0000733724.87630.d6

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