A review of PU risk assessment and prevention in Scandinavia, Iceland and Ireland (part II).

OBJECTIVE

To provide a critical appraisal of nurses risk assessment and pressure ulcer (PU) preventive practices across Scandinavia, Iceland and Ireland.

METHOD: An integrative research review following Cooper's five stages. Studies published in peer-reviewed journals, involving any study design, but specifically exploring PU risk assessment or preventative practices, in any care setting, were included.

RESULTS

Risk assessment practice was primarily investigated in the acute care setting and was found to be irregular, based on both numeric scales and clinical judgments. This irregular practice means that some vulnerable patients are not screened for pressure ulcer risk, conversely, when risk assessed, a care plan is not necessarily provided.A significant gap in nurse documentation, together with a lack of supporting evidence for repositioning and use of appropriate redistribution devices was also identified,indicating a lack of a standardised approach to pressure ulcer prevention.

CONCLUSION

Despite an abundance of literature exploring this subject, it is clear that current practice in pressure ulcer prevention is not embedded within best practice recommendations. Therefore, to address the potential patient safety implications, clinical practice could benefit from exploration and identification of practical methods for improving actual pressure ulcer preventive practice.