Although this may only be a local phenomena I am posting this to see what nurses in other countries think about the situation.
Traditionally in Australia pressure area assessement and management has been a purely nursing field, Recently I have noticed that occupational therapists have been encroaching on this role.
In ICU if an occupational therapist is called in to fit the patient for splints, they will then take it upon themselves to perform a "complete pressure area assessment" often utilising the nursing notes to assess inaccessable areas such as the sacral area - i.e. "noted in nursing notes patient has small break on coccyx". As if this was not bad enough they then will go on to state "Suggest nurses continue to reposition patient 2nd hourly".
The last facility I worked ( a major metropolitan hospital) this was accepted. To make matters worse, pressure relief devices such as "pig fat" pads were only available through the occupational therapists who would then argue your decision with you offering instead interventions such as hard rubber rings for the heels.
When told that it is no longer correct to use hard rings under heels - would act affronted but the next time you saw them they would be sprouting the "latest research" about how hard rubber rings "should not be used" ( Grrrrr I suppose. at least. they LISTENED to me!)
Unfortunately by taking the ability to order relief devices out of the nurses hands a cycle of relying on the occupational therapist to assess and order the devices was rapidly becoming entrenched.
Since THEY are the experts why should WE bother? I even noticed a slow decline in interest in keeping this area under the nursing umberella.
I am looking forward to your opinions on this matter.
