The development of pressure ulcers in patients referred to Mater Dei Hospital from St. Vincent de Paul long term care residence

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers are potentially preventable. They are caused by unrelieved pressure causing damage to underlying tissue via pressure, friction or shearing movements. Pressure ulcers are a cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. Elderly patients transferred to acute hospitals are at an increased risk for pressure ulcer development.

METHODS: A retrospective observational study design was adopted. Data was collected from iSOFT and the patients’ medical file. The population studied were patients who returned to SVP from MDH between the 1st November 2022 and the 14th February 2023. Data was analysed using SPSS 27.0.

RESULTS: Over 106 days of the study period, 56 patients were referred for acute care. Of these, 19.64% (n=11) developed new pressure ulcers. The mean length of stay was 9.892 days. The incidence of pressure ulcers varied between different departments (Medicine – 18.5%, Surgery – 8.3%, Orthopaedics – 66.7%, Urology 25%, Vascular, Neurology, Ophthalmology and Gynae -0%). Patients admitted under Orthogeriatrics for a fracture femur had an 80.0% incidence of developing new pressure ulcers. The sacral area was the most common site. Most pressure ulcers were of Grade 1 (n=7). There was a weak but statistically significant correlation between duration of stay and the development of ulcers (rs= .36, n = 56, p = .006). Documentation of pressure ulcers was absent from the medical notes and inconsistent in the nursing notes.

CONCLUSION: Prevention is cost effective, results in shorter hospital stays and improves the patients’ morbidity, mortality and quality of life. Greater efforts at preventing pressure ulcers in this specific population are warranted.