Meehan M
Healthcare Concepts, Inc., Annapolis, Md., USA.
Ostomy Wound Manage. 2000 May;46(5):46-52.
The concept of skin wounds caused primarily as a result of external physical forces has been the focus of many healthcare professionals for decades. Unfortunately, some of the choices made regarding the definition, description, and topical management of pressure ulcers hampers the appreciation of the complexity of issues that generally accompany the occurrence of these wounds. As the healthcare industry increasingly focuses on quality and accountability, industry watchdogs continue to develop metrics to evaluate quality of care while legal professionals demand more accountability for healthcare interventions. The management of pressure ulcers is often scrutinized and many healthcare providers are often unfairly accused of neglect. The occurrence of pressure ulcers, when viewed as a failure of the healthcare system, prevents the comprehensive and constructive attention this topic deserves. Therefore, as wound care providers, we must change the image of pressure ulcers and provide a more balanced portrayal of the influences, treatments, and likely outcomes of these wounds. We must separate fact from fiction and reality from the psychological reaction that pressure ulcers evoke. It is now time to recreate a dialogue for pressure ulcers that is productive, realistic, and likely to result in the advancement of care.
几十年来，主要由外部物理力量导致的皮肤伤口这一概念一直是众多医疗保健专业人员关注的焦点。不幸的是，在压疮的定义、描述和局部处理方面所做的一些选择，妨碍了人们对这些伤口发生时通常伴随的复杂问题的认识。随着医疗保健行业越来越关注质量和问责制，行业监督机构不断制定指标来评估护理质量，而法律专业人员则要求对医疗干预措施承担更多责任。压疮的管理常常受到审查，许多医疗保健提供者经常被不公平地指责为疏忽。当把压疮的发生视为医疗保健系统的失败时，就无法对这个话题给予应有的全面和建设性关注。因此，作为伤口护理提供者，我们必须改变压疮的形象，更平衡地描述这些伤口的影响、治疗方法和可能的结果。我们必须分清事实与虚构，分清现实与压疮引发的心理反应。现在是时候为压疮重新开展一场富有成效、切合实际且可能推动护理进步的对话了。
