Question

n outpatient’s daughter has been using a diary to track the appearance of her mother’s decubitus ulcer when the daughter performs the daily dressing change. The patient has been newly consented for participation in the trial of a new product presumed to accelerate healing and prevent infection. The researcher instructs the daughter in use of the new product and the use of a scale for tracking the ulcer’s healing. Scale items are change in total area (width times depth), drainage color, surrounding tissue integrity, pain, and smell. What are the advantages of using a scale instead of a diary

Answer 1

Pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers are injuries to skin and underlying tissues present under bony prominences resulting from friction and continuous pressure on the skin.These pressure ulcers often occur in heels,sacrum, coccyx, the hips, and also othersites such as the elbows, knees, ankles or the back of the cranium.

The advantages of using a scale instead of a diary in tracking ulcers are

• Measurement using scale is accurate
• It serves as a valuable evidence
• It provides exact evaluation of wound to plan a good therapeutic management
• The scale measures depth,width,consistency,lesion size, color,damaged tissue type and extension,moisture content , exudate characteristics which helps to aid with wound healing
• Scale method is a evidenced based practice tool
• It saves time
• Organised documentation
• It also helps in selection of right dressing
• Measuring scale gives reliable and valid data about the ulcers
• Scale also helps in preventing or minimising further damage to skin