Factors associated with pressure injury and preventive measures in an intensive care unit

Abstract

Abstract— Pressure injury is a localized damage to the underlying skin and / or soft tissue, usually on a bony prominence or related to the use of a medical device or other artifact. The lesion can appear on intact skin or as an open ulcer and can be painful. The injury occurs as a result of intense and / or prolonged pressure in combination with shear. Tolerance of soft tissue to pressure and shear can also be affected by microclimate, nutrition, perfusion, comorbidities and their condition. The objective of identifying the associated factors and preventive measures for pressure injuries in an intensive care unit, in order to support the professional in decision making to improve the care provided to these patients. The methodology is a narrative review study with an exploratory, observational, retrospective study approached in 07 articles in the databases (PUBMED, LILACS, BVS, SciELO, REBEN) between 2008 to 2016. During the review, it was found that most pressure injuries could be avoided by taking simple actions such as changing the position, using pressure relief devices in areas of bone prominence, careful observation of the skin and greater knowledge by health professionals, making it necessary to qualify health professionals with regard to the main characteristics of patients who develop pressure injuries and risk assessment scales such as the Braden scale, with the possibility of making prognoses and, thus, prevent them. It is concluded that the majority of pressure injuries could be avoided, through the identification of risk and the implementation of a care plan, preventing this condition that brings so much discomfort to the client and his family. From some simple actions such as changing the position every two hours.