Pressure Ulcer Conditions

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A hospital acquired condition is a term is referred to as a condition acquired during a hospital stay. Often, a hospital acquired condition is preventable and treatable with the proper treatment. In this paper, I will provide information regarding the value-based purchasing program that was implemented in 2007. Furthermore, the three aspects to the program: Patient experience, the condition itself and the achievement of expected treatment for specific diagnoses will be described in depth. The condition that was selected to evaluate was the topic of pressure ulcers. A pressure ulcer is an area of skin that breaks down when a person stays in one position for too long without shifting weight. People who are bedridden or in wheelchairs are most vulnerable to pressure ulcers. The constant pressure against the skin reduces the blood supply and the tissue dies (Health & Medicine Week,4231). According to text, more than one million patients in the United States of America are diagnosed with some type of pressure ulcer. Pressure ulcer experts believe that not all pressure ulcers are preventable, but it is hoped that, by implementing best practices across all care settings, the prevalence can be reduced (Keast, 2007). So many small occurrences can lead to major pressure ulcers. With my many years of nursing, I have witnessed my shares of pressure ulcers to the point of breakdown of the skin and being able to see bones. This is a very serious and painful condition. Too often, the condition of pressure ulcers falls back on caretakers of the patient for lack of turning a patient who is unable to turn themselves every couple of hours. This breakdown of the skin is often present in a diabetic patient who constantly has pressure on one or more certain places of the body. Once a pressure has developed, it can affect the quality of life and the family of the

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