Looking for patient stories about pressure ulcers

[sarah2416]

I'm the skin audit nurse for my ICU and am looking to motivate the floor nurses to implement prevention measures.

Does anyone know of online collections of patient stories about the experience of having a pressure ulcer? Or does anyone have any stories themselves (obviously without identifying patient info). Especially helpful would be any stories related to pressure ulcers from medical devices (trachs, masks, etc).

Thanks in advance!

Sarah

[woundnurse4u]

If you are looking for good examples, vendors are a great place to start. Depends on who your hospital organization is contracted with but any vendor who has anything too do with pressure ulcer prevention has case studies, posters, flyers, on-line materials, etc. Anything that is turn-key makes it easy to present to staff. Any vendor who does specialty beds or dressings should be able to meet your needs.

[KRennui]

Training on prevention measures are sorely needed! (No pun intended.)

Several months ago I was a patient kept 24 hours in an ER followed by 72 hours in an ICU at a different hospital before I was mobile again.

In the ER I was kept at a 45 degree semi-fowlers position (unconscious) and no measures were taken to prevent pressure wounds.

It was noted that I was developing a stage 1 pressure ulcer on my tailbone and right buttock at the time of transfer, however, while in the ICU of the second hospital I was still kept on my back at a 45 degree semi-fowlers position during the entire stay. No efforts were made to keep the bed pad smooth (or clean) and for 2 of the 3 days the ECG wire connector box was actually under my buttock and under my tailbone for several hours! (I was unable to speak or move my hands enough to do anything about that.) Though the skin did not break until several days after I was out of the ICU, there was deep bruising on my tailbone and right buttock--and pain such that I had difficulty walking and x-rays were taken to see if there was a fracture in my pelvis or tailbone. (There was not.) The pain, heat and bruising from the deep tissue injury lasted for SEVEN weeks. Though the skin was not broken on the entire bruised area, there were two areas that developed shallow open ulcers about 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm x .5 cm. Those areas, treated with zinc ointment, oral antibiotics and Duoderm dressings, healed at about 9 weeks.

Though I was unconscious in the ER, my husband and a retired nurse confirmed that I was not moved or turned at all during my stay, except when having a CT scan and x-rays done.

During my ICU stay I was in and out of consciousness the first day, then conscious the next two days but only able to move myself very little beginning early the third day. Again I was not re-positioned or turned AT ALL. I was also having slight liquid yellow fecal incontinence but was not regularly cleaned nor was the bed pad regularly changed or kept smooth on the bed.

Horrible experience that no patient should have to endure. I know of no excuse for allowing a patient to develop pressure wounds in a hospital setting.