Pressure ulcers are a common and sometimes serious concern for clients with spinal cord injury. In our latest blog for this month, Shona Anderson, Head of Clinical Services for Complete Care, talks about how prevention is better than cure in putting a stop to the pressure.
The ‘Stop the Pressure’ campaign was launched in the UK in by NHS Midlands and East, and 19 November 2015 marked a national celebration of the campaign, aiming to raise awareness and educate about the ways that pressure ulcers can be prevented, and act as a vehicle for change to make life better for patients.
The NHS has reported that:
- 700,000 people are affected by pressure ulcers each year;
- Each pressure ulcer adds additional costs of care of over £4,000;
- 95% of pressure ulcers are preventable.
Evidently, through better training, management of skin care, and ongoing treatment it is possible to dramatically improve care for vulnerable patients.
At Complete Care, we seek to provide the highest standards of quality care to our clients, as standard. We recognise that our clients are all potentially at risk of developing a pressure ulcer; this risk is increased where our clients are seriously ill, have a neurological condition, impaired mobility, poor posture, or deformity.
We utilise the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidance, ‘Pressure ulcers: prevention and management’ (published April 2014) throughout our organisation. This ensures that our approach to clinical care is informed by the most up to date industry guidance, and then disseminated to all levels within our organisation for those involved in delivering care to our clients.
The NHS has recently developed five simple steps for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers through effective skin care management: SSKIN.
Surface: make sure your patients have the right support.
Skin inspection: early inspection means early detection. Show patients and carers what to look for.
Keep your patients moving.
Incontinence/moisture: your patients need to be clean and dry.
Nutrition/hydration: help patients have the right diet and plenty of fluids.
Our dedicated nursing team delivers training regarding skin care management to all our new personal care assistants as part of our specialised, five day induction course. This is backed up by nurse-led training in the home, specific to our clients’ needs, so that their full care team fully understands, and can respond to, the nuances of individual client care and any changes in need.
We place great importance on building strong working relationships with our clients, as well as others involved in their care – be that family and friends, or multi-disciplinary representatives and health professionals. By building an all-round picture of our clients’ care we are best placed to respond to their needs in the home, and ensure timely reporting and sharing of any developing health concerns, including pressure area care.
Through regular clinical assessment, risk and review from our nursing team, and timely reporting either directly from our clients or their personal care assistants, we can trigger an increase of care and support, including from other disciplines where required.
For those clients affected by pressure ulcers this may include:
- Urgent wheelchair assessment;
- Bed/mattress assessment;
- Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy interventions;
- Increase in hands on, daily care hours to achieve the necessary and safe ‘Moving People Safely’ manoeuvres, as well as a change in equipment;
- Community/District Nurse intervention as part of a wound management plan;
- GP, consultancy or specialist centre input, such as Paediatric Service or Spinal Injury Centre;
- Pain management and psychological impact assessment.
Clinical excellence sits at the heart of everything we do as a care provider – from our approach to delivering care, to the behaviours we expect of our people. We all have a responsibility to contribute to the prevention and management of pressure ulcers: client, representative, parent, carer, or nurse.
Always report any concerns if you see anything of concern or difference in your skin, or those that you help care for, always report it. We often don’t see the real damage until it’s too late, and more considerable treatment is required, as opposed to preventative action. Don’t be afraid to ask for information or help!
Shona Anderson, Head of Clinical Services
Complete Care
shona.anderson@completecare.co.uk
Shona is responsible for providing clinical leadership to our nursing team and ensuring we maintain high standards of excellence in clinical care practice throughout the organisation. Find out more about Shona, and the rest of the Complete Care team at: www.completecare.co.uk/meet-the-team
For more information about pressure ulcer prevention and the ‘Stop the Pressure’ campaign, please see: http://nhs.stopthepressure.co.uk
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