This research aims to investigate the effect of positioning times on the risk of pressure injury in critically ill patients.
Pressure injuries, considered an indicator of quality of care, remain a significant concern today. They are a health problem that reduces the patient's quality of life, complicates the treatment process, and significantly increases costs. Immobility is one of the main risk factors for pressure injury development. In healthy individuals, discomfort occurs in an area subjected to pressure for a long enough period to cause ischemia, and the person changes their position via the afferent sensorimotor feedback system. Fewer than 20 movements per night significantly increase the risk of ulcer development. The factor causing ulcer formation is the inability of the individual to relieve the pressure applied to the tissue. Patients with limited mobility cannot change their body position on their own, and tissue perfusion is impaired in pressure-exposed areas, facilitating ulcer formation. Both the intensity and duration of pressure affect the effect. High pressure causes pressure to build up quickly, while the longer the pressure, the greater the risk of pressure buildup. In individuals at high risk of pressure injuries, frequent position changes are a primary policy for preventing pressure injuries. Experimental studies show that irreversible ischemia occurs when pressure is applied continuously for two hours or longer. The best method for reducing pressure in patients is repositioning. The literature indicates that while pressure injuries cannot be completely prevented, their incidence can be significantly reduced through evidence-based practices, particularly through assessment of at-risk patients, appropriate early nursing interventions, and preventive measures. Advances in the early detection of pressure injuries have been reported in the literature and primarily involve measuring inflammatory markers in anatomical regions to capture the first signs of tissue damage.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
82
Patient positions will be changed at 1-hour intervals.
Patient positions will be changed at 2-hour intervals.
Bartin University
Bartın, Turkey (Türkiye)
Skin Integrity Changes
Evaluation of changes in body temperature as a risk factor for pressure injury.
Time frame: Recording body temperature by measuring it with a body temperature measurement device every 24 hours for 72 hours.
Skin Integrity Changes
Evaluation of changes in body moisture level as a risk factor for pressure injury
Time frame: Body moisture will be assessed and documented every 24 hours over a 72-hour period using a body moisture measurement device.
Skin Integrity Changes
Assessment of the occurrence of changes in skin appearance, such as bruising, considered as risk factors for pressure injury.
Time frame: Whether changes in skin appearance, such as bruising, occur will be assessed and recorded through observation every 24 hours over a 72-hour period.
Skin Integrity Changes
Assessment of the occurrence of changes in skin appearance, such as edema, considered as risk factors for pressure injury.
Time frame: The presence of changes in skin appearance, such as edema, will be assessed and recorded through observation at 24-hour intervals over a 72-hour period.
Skin Integrity Changes
Assessment of the occurrence of changes in skin appearance, such as redness, considered as risk factors for pressure injury.
Time frame: The presence of changes in skin appearance, such as redness, will be assessed and recorded through observation at 24-hour intervals over a 72-hour period.
Braden Risk Assessment Score
Pressure injury risk will be quantitatively assessed using the Braden Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale, which consists of six subdimensions: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction/shear. Total scores range from 6 to 23, with decreasing scores over the assessment period indicating an increased risk of pressure ulcer development.
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Time frame: Evaluations will be conducted and documented at 24-hour intervals over a 72-hour period using the scale.