Authors
- Nikki Johnston1,
- Sally Kuffner1
- Calvary Public Hospital Bruce1
2018
Excerpt
Biography:
Ms Sally Kuffner is a registered nurse at Clare Holland House in Canberra in the specialist palliative care inpatient unit. She graduated University of Canberra in 2012 with a Bachelor of Nursing. After graduating she completed the graduate nurse program at Calvary Bruce Public Hospital, where she did rotations in aged care and rehabilitation, oncology and palliative care. It was in that year that she developed an interest in palliative care, and she has been working in palliative care since then.
Background: Pressure injury (PI) causes pain for patients and distress for those caring for them. Prevention is a key performance indicator for nursing staff. At the 2016 clinical review committee, Clare Holland House had the highest number of reported pressure injuries within Calvary Hospital Bruce. Activity based funding could lead to funding losses for Grade 3 and 4 pressure injuries developed during care.
Objective: To evaluate the number of acquired pressure injuries in a specialist palliative care unit (SPCU) and explore dying as a risk factor for pressure injuries.
Method: Clinical incidence data in relation to pressure injuries was taken from Riskman for the period March 2015 to March 2016 and analysed to understand the prevalence of pressure injury and its relationship to dying.
Results: There were 104 patients identified who had at least one pressure injury. Forty seven of the 104 patients with a pressure injury died within 7 days from when the pressure injury was noted.
Discussion: Pressure injuries in patients who are nearing end of life are prevalent, despite appropriate risk assessments and interventions being in place. Organ failure at end of life and the symptoms that come with it are natural and unavoidable. However it is often considered poor nursing care when the skin fails at end of life and pressure injuries develop as a symptom.
Conclusion: We suggest adding dying and skin failure to the well documented risk factors associated with pressure injuries. Further research is needed to inform practice and policy regarding funding palliative care services in regard to pressure injuries at end of life.
Background: Pressure injury (PI) causes pain for patients and distress for those caring for them. Prevention is a key performance indicator for nursing staff. At the 2016 clinical review committee, Clare Holland House had the highest number of reported pressure injuries within Calvary Hospital Bruce. Activity based funding could lead to funding losses for Grade 3 and 4 pressure injuries developed during care.
Objective: To evaluate the number of acquired pressure injuries in a specialist palliative care unit (SPCU) and explore dying as a risk factor for pressure injuries.
Method: Clinical incidence data in relation to pressure injuries was taken from Riskman for the period March 2015 to March 2016 and analysed to understand the prevalence of pressure injury and its relationship to dying.
Results: There were 104 patients identified who had at least one pressure injury. Forty seven of the 104 patients with a pressure injury died within 7 days from when the pressure injury was noted.
Discussion: Pressure injuries in patients who are nearing end of life are prevalent, despite appropriate risk assessments and interventions being in place. Organ failure at end of life and the symptoms that come with it are natural and unavoidable. However it is often considered poor nursing care when the skin fails at end of life and pressure injuries develop as a symptom.
Conclusion: We suggest adding dying and skin failure to the well documented risk factors associated with pressure injuries. Further research is needed to inform practice and policy regarding funding palliative care services in regard to pressure injuries at end of life.