Pressure ulcer prevalence in Turkey: a sample from a university hospital.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify pressure ulcer prevalence among hospitalized patients in a university hospital setting.

SETTING AND SUBJECTS: The study setting was medical and surgical inpatient wards and critical care units in a university hospital in Adana, Turkey. The sample population comprised 404 patients who were aged 18 years or older and admitted to the intensive care units and internal and surgery units at least 24 hours before data collection.

METHODS

Each participating patient's skin was assessed and pressure ulcers were classified according to the National Pressure Ulcers Advisory Panel grading system. Pressure ulcer risk was assessed using the Braden Scale. Data were recorded on a patient observation form designed for this study.

INSTRUMENTS: The following tools were used to collect data: (a) data collection form in identifying sociodemographic and medical characteristics of the patients, (b) the classification developed by the National Pressure Ulcers Advisory Panel in identifying the phases and localization of pressure ulcers, and (c) Braden Risk Assessment Scale in assessing risks.

RESULTS

The average age of patients was 51.22 ± 0.84 years (mean ± SD); 51.7% were male. The mean hospital length of stay was 9.6 ± 0.5 days. Pressure ulcer risk assessment revealed that 34.2% of the patients were at increased risk. The prevalence of pressure ulcers was 10.4%. Pressure ulcers occurred most frequently in the sacral area (43.9%); 45.2% of them were stage (grade) II.

CONCLUSIONS

The pressure ulcer prevalence identified in this study is comparable with studies conducted in other countries.