Outcome and Assessment Information Set Data that Predict Pressure Research Paper

Outcome and Assessment Information Set Data that Predict Pressure Ulcer Development in Older Adult Home Health - Research Paper Example According to the American Geriatics Association (2005), â€Å"Pressure ulcers are areas of tissue damage that develop when the skin and soft tissues (eg, muscle) are squeezed between the bones and the surface that is in contact with the body, such as a mattress.† These ulcers occur around areas such as hip, heel and buttocks. Methods The results of the research by Bergquist-Beringer and Gajewski, which was conducted among 5395 non-hospice patients of 60 years or older showed that bowel incontinence, needing assistance with grooming, dependence in ability to dress the upper body, dependence in ability to dress the lower body, dependence in toileting, inability to transfer, being chairfast or bedfast, and the presence of a PrU on admission were positively associated with new PrU development (Bergquist-Beringer and Gajewski, 2011). The factors raised in the researcher were therefore concluded as the risk factors for pressure ulcers for patients in home healthcare. In a similar re search conducted among 1711 nonhospice patients 60 years or older, Bergquist (2003) however came out with results that were not directly in line with the risk factors pointed out by the former researchers. Unlike the first researchers but not in sharp contrast to their results, Bergquist pointed to the risk factors for pressure ulcers for patients in home healthcare as Limitation in activity to bed, dependence in dressing, urinary incontinence, and needing assistance with transferring predicted Stage I pressure ulcer development (P