Question Description
Please respond with a paragraph to the following question, add citations and references:
Technology has changed drastically in the last decade and nurses have seen many changes around electronic medical records that directly impact their job performance. Thorough skin assessments play a major role in recognizing the initial stages of pressure injuries and the importance of implementing preventive measures to reduce breakdown. Our healthcare systems are directly impacted by hospital-acquired conditions such as pressure injuries and the importance of implementing prevention measures is top priority. Education is an ongoing challenge since you have nursing assistants, new graduates as well as nursing students that need to be informed of at-risk patients and what to look for regarding initial skin breakdown.
There have been several apps launched the last few years that has shown progress in helping staff recognize breakdown and useful technology for prevention and treatment of pressure injuries. Education should be ongoing for staff to help reduce HAPI’s, this type of technology is very useful to integrate as part of a “Pressure Injury Prevention Program”. The project facility that I am working with is looking to launch this app to help with facility acquired pressure injuries. Most staff carry and use phones throughout the day, this would be a useful tool that can be referenced when faced with decisions regarding prevention or treatment issues for pressure injuries. Nurses are very visual and seeing a photo and easy-to-use graphic was very useful in the launch stages. According to authors Salome and Ferreira, “the app was useful in clinical practice, helping to prevent pressure injuries and promote select nursing interventions for the treatment of patients with pressure injuries” (Salome & Ferreira, 2018).
References:
Salome, G., and Ferreira, L.M., (2018). Developing a Mobile App for Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Injuries. Advances in Skin & Wound Care: The Journal for Prevention and Healing, 31(2),1 – 6. Retrieved from https://www.nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?Article_ID=4502552
