Relationship between type of treatment and degree of wound healing among institutionalized geriatric patients with stage II pressure ulcers.

The prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers has always been of paramount concern to geriatric health care providers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between two types of treatments and the degree of wound healing among status post-cerebral vascular accident (CVA) institutionalized geriatric patients with stage II pressure ulcers. Wound dressings were evaluated according to the National Pressure Advisory Panels Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (NPUAP, 1997). Fifty long-term care residents were recruited for the study in Queens, New York. A convenience sample was randomly assigned to either of the treatment protocols: polymeric membrane dressing (polymem) or the antibiotic ointment and dry clean dressing (DCD). The findings from the study revealed a significant difference in wound healing scores in the polymeric membrane-dressing group. These findings are limited due to the small sample size and they cannot be generalized to other populations. As this is an initial study, further research is recommended