The Joint Commission has issued new guidance on pressure injuries to better equip nursing home care staff and others.
Published in mid-October, the guidance identifies risk factors including immobility, lack of pain perception, obesity, poor nutrition, dehydration, dementia, and a history of previous pressure injuries. People with diabetes and circulation problems also can be more prone to pressure injuries. The Commission also pointed out that PIs can be an unrecognized cause of systemic infection.
Staff need to be trained on using equipment to evaluate and treat wounds, understand best practices and know when to seek a specialist, the guidance states.
The guidance also includes useful warning signs of pressure injuries, including a thin or blood-filled blister on the skin; a deep red or purplish color under unbroken skin; tissue that is warmer or cooler compared to the skin around it; and lack of elasticity around an affected area.
Additionally, the Commission warned, staff should be on alert for symptoms of infection or sepsis in patients with a potential pressure injury.
From the December 2023 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
