[Pressure ulcer prevention and therapy: results of a descriptive study]

Abstract

Pressure ulcers are a common nursing care issue in hospitals. Sick children, premature infants and toddlers, but also disabled and impaired children are at a high risk of developing pressure ulcers. The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to describe the patients at risk as well as to identify the preventive and therapeutic interventions in a pediatric care setting. Of 213 hospitalised children, 155 (82 percent) from the age of 0 to 18 years could be included in the study. Altogether, preventive actions of any kind were performed with 92 percent of the patients. These were repositioning (84 percent), mobilisation of the patients (75 percent), followed by skin inspection (61 percent) and the application of lotions (56 percent). The high risk rate of pediatric patients considered at risk according to the Braden Scale is disconcerting and requires further exploration in terms of effective preventive and therapeutic interventions to improve the outcome for this patient group