Pressure ulcers remain on the most significant health problems affecting nursing in their areas of work. Spear (2014) defines pressure ulcers as a localized injury that affects the skin or underlying tissue as a result of pressure, shear, or a combination of both. She goes on to assert that the pressure ulcers can be divided into four states from I through to IV based on the observable damage. The pressure ulcers not only affect the individual but the entire healthcare system based on the associated costs it has on the care delivery. Currently, Nuru et al., (2015) point out that the total number of Americans suffering from pressure ulcers is at 25 million worldwide. As such, this has an overbearing implication on the healthcare system of the country with an annual expenditure of about 11.6 billion annually (Nuru et al., 2015).
Both Mwebaza et al. (2014) and Nuru et al. (2015) agree on the effects of pressure ulcers on a patient. The disease is implicated in prolonged patient hospitalization, increased morbidity, and mortality. They are also a primary cause for the spread of infection in the clinical area. It is, therefore, incumbent upon the nurses to prevent and manage the pressure ulcers as a way of reducing healthcare expenditure and the occurrence of adverse healthcare effects. The authors have also agreed that the presence or absence of the pressure ulcers is a direct sign of the quality of health given in a particular hospital. Out of the many reasons provided for the increased prevalence of patient ulcers, the most convincing one is the knowledge deficiency among the nurses.
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Research conducted by Mwebaza et al. (2014) and Nuru et al. (2015) have all shown that nurse knowledge in the management and prevention of pressure ulcers is significantly vital. However, these professionals have demonstrated insufficient know-how in dealing with the disease. Most caregivers only have between basic and average knowledge of what needs to be done to remedy patients with such infections. As a result, many patients have advanced to the late stages of the disease with others dying as a result. The research also found out that most of the nurses are unaware of the risk factors associated with pressure ulcers. With such a huge gap in knowledge, the chances are that patients will continue to suffer in various nursing centers across the world.
Spear (2014) on her part is optimistic that even with the knowledge deficiency among the nurses, the future is bright as regards the prevention and the management of the disease. The author appreciates the increasing attention that the pressure ulcers infection is experiencing not only in the healthcare industry but also in the media. However, the research has also demonstrated that the knowledge held by the nurses cannot entirely be implicated in the increasing prevalence of the disease. Some of the confounding factors include the lack of facilities, inadequate nursing staff, and poor leadership in nursing. All these combines with the lack of knowledge hence leading to the advancement of the infection.
In conclusion, the onus is on the nurses and the nursing leadership to ensure proper training, exposure, and capacity building as the cornerstones in dealing with the problem. The curriculum of the nurses needs to change to enhance an appropriate coverage of contentious topics such as pressure ulcers as a way of building these professionals' capacity towards handling both acute and chronic health concerns in their areas of work.
References
Mwebaza, I., Katende, G., Groves, S., & Nankumbi, J. (2014). Nurses’ knowledge, practices, and barriers in care of patients with pressure ulcers in a Ugandan teaching hospital. Nursing Research and Practice, 2014. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/973602
Nuru, N., Zewdu, F., Amsalu, S., & Mehretie, Y. (2015). Knowledge and practice of nurses towards prevention of pressure ulcer and associated factors in Gondar University Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. BMC Nursing, 14(1), 34. Retrieved from: https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-015-0076-8
Spear, M. (2014). Pressure Ulcers: What Are the Implications?. Plastic Surgical Nursing, 33(3), 147-149. Retrieved from: http://hdl.handle.net/10413/15949
