Painful, time-consuming, and expensive to treat, pressure ulcers are a common condition, affecting an estimated 3 million adults in the United States. Pressure ulcers can impede a patient's recovery to full function and places more time demands on nurses and the health care team. Hospital stays for patients with pressure ulcers are three times longer than those without pressure ulcers and the total cost of treatment in the U.S. is about $11 billion annually.
Hi Beth!
I wondered if AHRQ had any updated data from their reporting systems or contributors? Have taught students about the different dressings and how wet to moist are generally not indicated anymore with the advanced wound care products out there. Also, less is more...less number of dressing changes so the wound can actually heal. We also tried to look at sterile dressing changes with pressure ulcers and generally speaking this is not indicated anymore in most cases. Do you see that as well?
Thanks!
Hello Patient Safety Geek,
I love your nickname Sorry about the slow reply – The furlough put a kink in our work schedules. Unfortunately, I don’t have additional data because the systematic review used published research literature rather than data from reporting systems.
There is, however, a new toolkit for pressure ulcer prevention in hospitals from AHRQ and VA-funded researchers. It may be found here: Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals | Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ). Or if you prefer PDF: http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/long-term-care/resources/pressure-ulcers/pressureulcertoolkit/putoolkit.pdf.
AHRQ commissioned two systematic reviews of research on the topic. The first addressed risk assessment tools and treatment. In an effort to minimize costs and potential complications, clinicians use many tools to assess a patient's risk for pressure ulcers. But how useful and accurate are these tools? And does their effectiveness differ depending on the patient or the clinical setting? In addition to prevention efforts, there are many treatments options that promote healing, shorten healing time, and minimize the risk of complications from pressure ulcers. But how do they compare to one another?
To answer these questions and compare pressure ulcer risk assessment tools and treatments, let's start a discussion. What are your thoughts on AHRQ's key findings? Do these findings reflect your clinical experience?
For additional key findings, read the executive summaries on Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment and Prevention: Comparative Effectiveness and Pressure Ulcer Treatment Strategies: Comparative Effectiveness.
Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment and Prevention
Pressure Ulcer Treatment Strategies
Within the limited research, some evidence can be summarized in a qualitative way; however, definitive conclusions cannot yet be drawn.
1Russo, C.A. (Thomson Reuters), Steiner, C. (AHRQ) and Spector, W. (AHRQ). Hospitalizations Related to Pressure Ulcers, 2006. HCUP Statistical Brief #64. December 2008. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb64.pdf
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