The Nursing Process and Pressure Ulcer Prevention

In Brief PURPOSE To provide the wound care practitioner with an understanding of how use of the nursing process enhances pressure ulcer prevention. TARGET AUDIENCE This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care. OBJECTIVES After reading this article and taking this test, the reader should be able to: Describe the use of the nursing process for planning, implementing, and evaluating the outcomes of a pressure ulcer prevention program. Explain how to use the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk to develop "at risk" nursing diagnoses and to guide intervention. In this continuing education activity, the authors use the nursing process to organize an approach to pressure ulcer prevention. The article includes tips for clinical practice to help strengthen nursing capabilities for pressure ulcer risk assessment, prevention planning, prevention intervention, and outcomes evaluation.