Pressure Ulcers Etiology
In a small nursing and rehabilitation center serving 102 residents, we have developed an innovative management team who utilizes consistent standards to heal pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are a major complication associated with the loss of mobility, activity, increased moisture, poor nutrition, friction, shear, and altered sensory perception. They are caused by unrelieved compression of the blood vessels and tissues resulting in the lymphatic system not filtering waste products. This tension restricts blood circulation causing a lack of oxygen and nutrients over a certain time span resulting in tissue damage to the skin. The elderly resident in a skilled nursing facility is often admitted with or at high risk for pressure ulcers.