Stege 4 Pressure Ulcers

[CarVsTree]

I saw a nasty stage IV PU at clinical this weekend. There was a lot of talk among the students about neglect in LTC causing this. Is it possible to get these huge ulcers despite 2 hour turning? I hate to point the finger when I really don't know if the LTC personnel were at fault.

Thanks!

[suanna]

A nurse I know who works at one of the local LTC facillities says she hates to sent her patients into acute care because the come back with pressure ulcers. Could it have been from a lack of turning/skin care?- of course, but there are other contributing factors. It's nice to say "let's not point fingers and blame nurses for pressure ulcers", but in practice you can't deny that Q2h turns does make a difference in the potential for breakdown.

[hippylady7211]

I agree with all of the posts. As I have worked long term care, we would send patients to the hospital with skin intact and return with pressure areas. In Kansas, it was the LTC facility that got the hit for the pressure area and not the hospitals.

To many times we forget that there is nursing OUTSIDE of the hospitals and that if you are a nurse and don't work the hospital you must not be such a good nurse.

LTC nurses are under paid and overworked and are up to their necks in paperwork and God forbid if your facility didn't pass a survey! However, these nurses are the best I have ever worked with.

So, for all you students out there, if you want a great nursing education and rewards from your patients try LTC.

By the way, I started in LTC as an aide and it gave me the idea that I wanted to be a nurse. Great place to learn your basics and be way ahead of the other students in training.