Pressure ulcer incidence: do patients retain information

Abstract

Many service commissioners are demanding a reduction in pressure ulcer prevalence and regard pressure ulceration as a key indicator of care quality. Within our area of practice, local commissioners have indicated that all health care providers in the district should work together to reduce pressure ulceration across the local health care economy. Health care professionals clearly have a critical role to play in patient assessment, risk categorisation, care planning and equipment provision. However, this alone will not be sufficient to achieve the reduction targets which will involve effective patient engagement. National and International guidelines all recognise the importance of patient education in care and recognise the significance of patient involvement in personalised care planning and service provision. Hartigan et al have demonstrated the value of education leaflets in supporting pressure ulcer prevention in an elderly population. Patient support applications running on mobile phones and tablets are also available to assist in pressure ulcer prevention and patient education but are not widely used in a hospital setting. This study examines how effective standard verbal and written information is at delivering patient education for pressure ulcer prevention. Local hospital policy is that all patients identied as being at risk of developing pressure ulceration are provided with information on what a pressure ulcer is, what constitutes risk and how to assist staff in pressure ulcer prevention. The policy includes patient and carer involvement in care planning, and encouragement to report skin changes and pain to staff.