Actions that Nurses Can Take To Maintain Skin Integrity - Assignment Example

Actions that Nurses Can Take To Maintain Skin Integrity Actions that Nurses Can Take To Maintain Skin Integrity Nurses should avoid massages or practice gentle massages around sites of skin impairment. Areas with bony prominences should also be avoided. Monitor the patient’s skin care practices such as the soaps used, frequency of cleansing, and temperature of water used for cleansing (Wadlund 2010). The nurses should always be aware of the environmental pressure conditions and, therefore, provide the necessary pressure-relieving devices.

Minimize skin exposure to chemicals in stool or urine for incontinent clients. To avoid positioning clients on sites of skin impairment, and whenever possible, the client should be turned every two hours. They can also use the appropriate and approved positioning devices. They should avoid using blankets, sheets, and towels as paddings. They are usually ineffective in distributing pressure and can lead to friction. Instead, protective padding and films should be used. To transfer patients with care to prevent the harmful impacts of mechanical forces such as shear, friction, and pressure (Wadlund 2010) Nurses should implement a documented treatment plan for sites of skin impairment.

The written plan ensures consistency in the care given. Nurses can use topical treatments that maintain moist environments for wound healing. They should asses the patients’ nutritional status and institute the necessary dietary supplements. This can be done with the help of a nutritionist. To be careful not to expose skins to temperatures above 42oC when using pressure regulation devices Gel interfaces and adhesives should be removed from the skin after operations. To control and minimize some environmental factors such as the humidity Reference Wadlund, D. (2010). Maintaining skin integrity in the OR.

OR Nurse, 26-32. Retrieved September 11, 2015, from http://journals.lww.com/ornursejournal/Fulltext/2010/03000/Maintaining_skin_integrity_in_the_OR.8.aspx