Medical Applications — Nursing

From the Nursing Home The new Australian Medical Sheepskins provide enhanced levels of comfort, pressure relief and elimination of moisture for residents with reduced mobility and are a remarkable improvement over sheepskins previously used. The use of Australian Medical Sheepskins has shown that residents are easier to move with less risk to frail skin. There has also been a significant reduction in the incidence of skin tears and pressure areas. The color coding of blue and green for correct laundering and identification for increased urine resistance has been particularly helpful in identifying the specific purpose of these sheepskins. The sheepskins...

Color Coding Stops Confusion From a personal perspective, both as a care giver and a patient, true sheepskins have proven invaluable. Confusion exists between genuine and imitation products. Imitation products are often misleadingly called sheepskins. As a result, definite identification is imperative. Prevention of bed sores is essential for the well being and comfort of the ill or the incapacitated. Various methods of assessment can be applied to ascertain the risk of pressure sore development, eg. Norton Scale, Waterlow Scale and/or visual assessment. These take into consideration age, continence, skin type, hydration, mobility and associated medical conditions. The placement of...

A Medical Practitioner's Perspective Pressure Ulcers on the Increase One of my dear, elderly patients was recently discharged from a teaching hospital after undergoing surgery to repair a hernia. The discharge summary claims the operation was a complete success but notes that "the patient developed heel ulcers during convalescence" which will be "looked after by the community nurses". During my 30 years in general practice, I have witnessed the increasing technical sophistication of hospital care, but I still despair when I see my patients develop stage 4 pressure ulcers on their heels. Sadly, my patients are developing pressure ulcers far...