Description:
Objective: to disclose nurses knowledge about pressure risk assesment.
Methods: quantitative survey of 50 nurses was conducted in 3 nursing care hospitals in Kaunas during November and December of 2018. A questionairre prepared by analyzing scientific papers, books and publications was used as the tool of the survey. Statistical analysis was done with MS Excel.
Results: research data shows that only 50 percent of nurses always use risk assesment scales. 98 percent of nurses agree that evaluation of patient skin condition is an important part of pressure ulcer risk assesment. 30 percent of nurses stated that evaluation of patient nutrition is also important. 46 percent of nurses agreed that evaluation of patient mobility is also important. 82 percent of nurses maintained that pressure risk assesment should be done as soon as possible after admission. 60 percent of nurses stated that pressure risk should be assesed with any changes in patient condition. 76 percent of nurses agreed that risk assesment has to be done every day.
Conclusions: 1. Pressure injuries are ulcers that form in the skin. Risk factors include prolonged pressure, immobilization, maceration, forces of shear and tear, neurological conditions, malnutrition and old age. Main principles of prevention and treatment are: risk assesment and elimination of risk factors. 2. Main principles of risk assesment are: skin condition assesment, nutrition assesment and mobility assesment by using Norton, Braden, Waterlow or other risk assesment scales. Risk must be assesed as soon as possible at admition, but no less then in 8 hours. Aditional assesment must be done every day and with patient conditon changes. 3. Half of participants stated that they always use risk assesment scales. Almost all of participants knew about the importance of skin assesment. Less than half of participants stated that nutrition and mobility assesment is also important. More than a half participants stated that additional risk assesment is done with any changes in patient condition. Three quarters of participants stated that assesment should be done every day.
