Prevention of heel pressure ulcers among older patients – from ambulance care to hospital discharge: A multi-centre randomized controlled trial

The aim was to investigate the effect of an early intervention, a heel suspension device boot, on the incidence of heel pressure ulcers among older patients (aged 70+). Pressure ulcers are a global healthcare issue; furthermore, the heel is an exposed location. Research indicates that preventive nur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied nursing research 2016-05, Vol.30, p.170-175
Main Authors: Bååth, Carina, Engström, Maria, Gunningberg, Lena, Athlin, Åsa Muntlin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accident and emergency departments
Acute care delivery chain
Acute services
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Ambulance care
Ambulances
Care delivery
Discharge
Early intervention programmes
Emergency department
Female
Health care
Health-Promoting Work
Heel - pathology
Heel pressure ulcer
Hospitals
Humans
Hälsofrämjande arbete
Intervention
Interventions
Male
Medical research
Nursing
Nursing care
Nursing Science
Older people
Omvårdnad
Patient care
Patient Discharge
Pressure sores
Pressure Ulcer - prevention & control
Pressure ulcers
Prevention
RCT
Safety measures
Stations
Suspension
Ulcers
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Summary:The aim was to investigate the effect of an early intervention, a heel suspension device boot, on the incidence of heel pressure ulcers among older patients (aged 70+). Pressure ulcers are a global healthcare issue; furthermore, the heel is an exposed location. Research indicates that preventive nursing interventions starting during the ambulance care and used across the acute care delivery chain are seldom used. A multi-centre randomized control study design was used. Five ambulance stations, two emergency departments and 16 wards at two Swedish hospitals participated. Altogether, 183 patients were transferred by ambulance to the emergency department and were thereafter admitted to one of the participating wards. Significantly fewer patients in the intervention group (n=15 of 103; 14.6%) than the control group (n=24 of 80; 30%) developed heel pressure ulcers during their hospital stay (p=0.017). Pressure ulcer prevention should start early in the acute care delivery chain to increase patient safety.
ISSN:0897-1897
1532-8201
1532-8201
DOI:10.1016/j.apnr.2015.10.003