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Share a 250 word description as to why a skin assessment/care program is an important component in providing respiratory care (base your reflection from readings in this module)
Skin assessment is a vital part of providing respiratory care. Respiratory Therapists (RT) are responsible for assessing any of the patients skin that comes into contact with respiratory devices. Most respiratory devices must be secured tightly to the patient and are often used for long periods of time which puts them at an increased risk for causing device-related pressure ulcers (DRPU). In the article, Device-related pressure ulcers: SECURE prevention, they identified a high association between DRPU and respiratory devices and determined that up to 68% of DRPU incidences are associated with respiratory device use (Gefen et al., 2020). Pressure ulcers are a huge concern because they are harmful to patients, increase the risk of infection, and can prolong the length of treatment. Skin assessment policies and protocols can help limit the incidences of DRPU.
Skin assessment programs can help ensure precautions are taken to prevent the occurrence of DRPU and the risks associated with it. They can also help educate the staff on which patients are the most at risk, what signs to look for, how to intervene, and what other safety measures they can take. Respiratory devices that are often responsible for causing DRPU include endotracheal tubes and holders, tracheostomies, BPAP/CPAP masks, and nasal cannulas. Skin assessments should be performed during every shift in order to detect early changes to the skin and prevent further damage. RTs are responsible for repositioning the ETT, offloading pressure, applying protective skin barriers, and alternating patient interfaces. Trach care should also be done regularly, the skin around the trach is assessed every 8 hours, cleaned and dried, dressings are kept clean, trach ties are changed and adjusted to fit correctly. RTs must ensure that the equipment is properly fitted and that the circuits arent pulling to avoid excess friction and pressure. The goal of respiratory care is to help our patients and improve their outcomes. DRPU hinders that goal and must be prevented.
Gefen, A., Alves, P., Ciprandi, G., Worsley, P., Waters, N., Coyer, F., Milne, C. T., Ousey, K., & Ohura, N. (2020, February 18). Secure-ing device-related pressure … – magonlinelibrary.com. Device-related pressure ulcers: SECURE prevention. Retrieved November 27, 2021, from https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/jowc.2020.29.2.77?af=R.
