Prevention and management of pressure ulcers

Pressure ulcers represent complex wounds that are difficult to prevent or manage. Guidelines for prevention include identifying patients at risk, reducing the effect of pressure, friction, shear forces, and assessing co-morbidities such as nutritional status. Management should follow eight treatment strategies including accurately assessing the ulcer, relieving pressure, assessing pain and nutritional status, maintaining a moist wound environment, encouraging granulation and epithelial tissue formation, evaluating the need for debridement, and controlling infection.