Prevalence of decubitus lesions in a hospital in Lombardia
Biasioli, S.; Destrebecq, A.; Longobardo, S.; Negri, A.; Tacconi, P.; Sponton, A.
Assistenza Infermieristica e Ricerca Air 21(1): 14-16
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 1592-5986 PMID: 11998339 Document Number: 549759
A one day prevalence survey was performed in a University Hospital, with the aim of assessing the risk of developing a pressure sore by patients systematically assessed with the Waterlow Scale. Out of the 141 at risk patients, 16 had a pressure sore (11.3%). For six of them the sore was already present at admission so that the in hospital incidence was 7% (10 patients). Most at risk patients (74.4) were still cared on a standard mattress. The advantages and limits of prevalence surveys are discussed at the end of the three articles that present a prevalence survey, an incidence survey and the study of sentinel events.