This Fast Facts will assist with improving outcomes for patients with pressure ulcers and strategies for decreasing pressure ulcer occurrence within a facility. Using the easy to read, quick-access Fast Facts style, the book presents guidelines for assessing, preventing, and treating pressure ulcers, for establishing an ulcer reduction program, and for increasing reimbursement. It includes tips for care in the "Fast Facts in a Nutshell" feature format. Pressure ulcers can be devastating not only for the patient but those caring for them. Sometimes with even the best of care, pressure ulcers occur, but what about those that can be prevented? The author, with the help of nursing staff at all levels, achieved pressure ulcers reduction in her facility by 54% over a one year period through implementation of an ulcer reduction programme. This book will cover pressure ulcer risk assessment (important to include in the initial patient assessment), incidence, underlying causative factors, factors to eliminate when planning patient care, equipment that can help prevent "pressure" on susceptible patient tissues, issues concerning dressings and treatments, benefits of creating a skin care team, how to document to insure higher reimbursement, and lastly, working with outpatients. Additionally, nurses studying for certification as a Wound, Ostomy Continence Nurse (WOCN) will find support material related to identifying, preventing, and resolving pressure ulcers that is difficult to access in other publications.
