title: The prevalence of pressure ulcers in the paediatric population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A paucity of research related to the problem of pressure ulcers in paediatrics is found, with a variety of reported prevalence rates.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To record the prevalence, location and categories of PU in the inpatient paediatric wards, and to identify the characteristics of pressure ulcer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive point prevalence study.
  
  
  METHODS
  All paediatric inpatient wards in two hospitals in Jordan. One of which is a university-affiliated hospital and the other a paediatric public hospital. Isolation, burn and emergency units, outpatients' clinics and psychiatric wards were excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  One sixty six paediatric patients aged from one day up to 18 years from both hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who met the inclusion criteria were included and examined for the existence of pressure ulcers on one day in each hospital by the primary investigator. The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel classification system was used to categorise each identified ulcer. The characteristics of ulcers were collected as well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen ulcers were identified in 11 patients, giving a prevalence rate of 6.6%.When Category I ulcers were excluded, the prevalence rate dropped to 2.4%. All except one of the PU patients were being treated in critical care units (n = 10, 90.9%), and most of the ulcers were category one (n = 7, 63.6%) and caused by devices (n = 7, 63.6). The face was the most frequently reported location of PUs (n = 6, 54.5%), followed by the occiput (n = 2, 18.2%). Most PU patients were male (n = 6, 54.5%), and less than 12 months old (n = 8, 72.7%). PU patients had experienced longer hospital stays than patients free from PU (U = 499.0, p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Jordanian paediatric patients do have pressure ulcers, with a prevalence rate congruent with previously reported international rates. Most of the ulcers found were caused by devices used in critical care units. This should encourage nurses to pay extra attention to their paediatric patients when they are connected to medical devices.
authors.affiliation: Irbid National University, Department of Nursing, Irbid, Jordan. Electronic address: lailahabeeb2007@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Habiballah
authors.affiliation: Al al-Bayt University, Faculty of Nursing, Adult Health Nursing Department, Mafraq, Jordan.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tubaishat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Jordan; Paediatric; Pressure ulcer; Prevalence