Incidence and risk factors of pressure ulcers among general surgery patients

authors:

avatar Ensieh Ramezanpour 1 , avatar Amir Emami Zeydi 1 , avatar Mohammad Ali Heidari Gorji 1 , avatar Jamshid Yazdani Charati 2 , avatar Mahmood Moosazadeh 3 , avatar Vida Shafipour ORCID 1 , *

Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Nasibeh school of Nursing and Midwifery, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Department of Biostatistics, Health Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Health Science Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences: Vol.5, issue 4; 159-164
published online: January 15, 2019
article type: Research Article
received: December 17, 2017
accepted: November 21, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/jnms.jnms_23_17

how to cite: Ramezanpour E, Emami Zeydi A, Heidari Gorji M A, Yazdani Charati J, Moosazadeh M, et al. Incidence and risk factors of pressure ulcers among general surgery patients. J Nurs Midwifery Sci. 2018;5(4):e141163. https://doi.org/10.4103/jnms.jnms_23_17.

Abstract

Context: Pressure ulcers are among the main postoperative complications which isassociated with an increased length of hospitalization. Determining risk factors of postsurgical pressureulcers is crucial for developing prevention and treatment strategies. 
Aims: This study aimed to investigate the incidence rate of pressure ulcer and related risk factors after general surgery. 
Settings and Design: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in three hospitals in Mazandaran province in 2016. 
Materials and Methods: The sample size was 191 surgical patients undergoing general surgery by using census method. Data were collected in pre-, intra-, and post-operative period using demographic and clinical questionnaires and also, through the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk. 
Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics, t-test, Chi-square, and univariateand multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the data. 
Results: The incidence rate of postoperative pressure ulcers in patients was 17.8% (34 out of 191 patients). Based on the multivariate logistic regression model, significant correlations existed between the incidence of pressure ulcers and the following variables: age over 70 years old (P = 0.003), history of hypertension (P = 0.035), history of heart diseases (P = 0.029), Braden score <15 (P = 0.017), type of surgery (P = 0.003), and type of anesthesia (P = 0.015). 
Conclusions: Since it is critical to consider the incidence of postoperative pressure ulcers among patients, further measurements are required to identify high-risk people and use preventive protocols by nurses at pre-, intra-, and post-operative levels. Moreover, it requires extra attention in patients over 70 years, those with a history of hypertension and heart diseases, and those undergoing emergency surgery and spinal anesthesia.

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