1999 Volume 3 Issue 1 Pages 23-28
Pressure ulcer prevention for home care clients is not accomplished by visiting only. Collaborative efforts by all irivolved care givers are required.
A questionnaire survey of pressure ulcer awareness was conducted among care givers using Saiseikai Visiting Nurse Stations across the country in order to study their knowledge of pressure ulcers and preventive measures.
Out of 523 responses, 18.5% of home care clients suffered from pressure ulcers. Although 89.9% of care givers knew the word “bedsore (pressure ulcer)”. 21.2% of care givers did not know about its causes. 40.3% of care givers were not instructed how to prevent pressure ulcers, and 22.8% of care givers did not use any nursing care supplies for prevention. Among the care givers who had received preventive education, 14.0% of them did not practice what they had learned. At the same time, it has become clear that all medical workers whose responsibility is to educate home healthcare personal, including both doctors and nurses do not necessarily have appropriate knowledge of pressure ulcers and how to prevent them.
To prevent pressure ulcers among home care clients, the education of their care givers including proper technical guidance is indispensable. Teaching methods should be well understood and easy to practice even by the elderly care givers, while preventive education aimed at medical workers is also needed.
