Assessing risk and preventing pressure ulcers in patients with cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To identify risk factors for pressure ulcers that may place the patient with cancer at higher risk. The role of nursing to provide pressure ulcer preventive measures will be discussed.


METHODS
Current research and published literature


CONCLUSIONS
Research suggests that comprehensive prevention programs are effective in reducing pressure ulcer incidence rates and can be cost-effective. Comprehensive pressure ulcer prevention guidelines include risk assessment, skin care, offloading, and nutrition. Immobility places patients with cancer at greater risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses are at the forefront of predicting patients at risk for pressure ulcers and working with the multidisciplinary team to implement a pressure ulcer preventive program. There remains a dearth of research related to pressure ulcers and cancer. Research in this area is strongly suggested.
Lyder
Courtney H
CH
Department of Acute & Specialty Care, University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. chl4n@virginia.edu
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D001513:Beds; D017276:Friction; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000150:complications; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing