Inactivity due to pre-existing medical conditions can cause bed sores, which are lesions on the skin or the underlying tissue. Bedsores can be a cause of death and specialists at the Nursing and Obstetrics Department of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM) have carried out research to make preventative recommendations.
Researchers, María Antonieta Cuevas, María de los Ángeles Monroy Martínez and Bárbara Dimas Altamirano, say that, “immobility due to another illness or injury leads some patients to be bedridden for extensive periods of time. However, it is the responsibility of nursing professionals to prevent bedsores from developing.”
According to the Nursing Care Plan, they said that nurses should identify and evaluate the condition of the patient’s skin and the infection risk, to define a care plan and reduce the size of sores if they arise.
The nurses recommend following the Braden Scale Standardized Care Plan, in which health care professionals identify the level of humidity that the patient’s skin is exposed to, the level of physical activity of the patient, the ability of the patient to change their resting position and their food consumption patterns.
Following this plan is highly recommended and numerous patients have reported a decrease in bedsores after following the plan.
