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PREVALENCE AND TREATMENT OF PRESSURE ULCERS IN NORTHERN NEW SOUTH WALES
Author(s) -
Pearson Alan,
Francis Karen,
Hodgkinson Brent,
Curry George
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1584.2000.00248.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cross sectional study , pressure sores , pressure injury , psychological intervention , nursing , surgery , pathology
This paper reports on a small, cross‐sectional study of 18 hospitals in northern New South Wales. The objectives of this study were to collect baseline data on: (i) the prevalence and type of pressure ulcers in a variety of rural hospitals; and (ii) the range of nursing and medical interventions that are used to prevent/treat pressure ulcers. Using a cross‐sectional design, the study found that pressure ulcer prevalence, which was 6%, was within the range found by previous reports (4–15%). Pressure ulcer prevention and treatment practices were varied, ranging from turning of the patient and occlusive dressings, to such creative methods as exposure to sunshine and airing the wound. This study demonstrates that despite years of attention to pressure sore prevention and treatment, the prevalence of ulcers is still a significant problem in northern New South Wales hospitals.