Prevention of pressure ulcers in nursing home residents

Abstract

Pressure ulcer prevention strategies are applicable to all anatomical sites; however, the main focus of this article is heel ulceration in the nursing home setting. The thinness of the subcutaneous tissue between the skin and bone, and the propensity for lower limb diseases, makes the heel the second most common site for pressure ulcer development. This article provides a review of the effect of education and knowledge on the prevention of heel pressure ulcers in nursing home residents. Where there is paucity of evidence, pressure ulcers in general will be examined.