The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
-
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jul 2006
Pressure ulcers among elderly patients early in the hospital stay.
Pressure ulcers among elderly hospital patients diminish quality of life and increase the cost of hospital care. Evidence suggests that pressure ulcers can arise after only a few hours of immobility. The goals of this study were to estimate the incidence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers in the first 2 days of the hospital stay and to identify patient characteristics associated with higher incidence. ⋯ A small but significant proportion of elderly emergently admitted hospital patients acquire pressure ulcers soon after their admission. New models of care may be required to ensure that preventive interventions are provided very early in the elderly person's hospital stay.