For a frail, elderly nursing home resident, skin breakdown may lead to illness and depression. If a pressure ulcer develops, it places the resident at a higher risk for infections, and in some cases it may be life threatening. To protect residents who are at risk for skin breakdown, a facility should a have skin care program. In this program, a resident's skin condition should be assessed and monitored on a continual basis. The resident's care plan will indicate what actions you need to take to care for the resident's skin and help in the prevention of skin breakdown.
This program provides CAN's with a basic understanding of how skin breakdown occurs and offers examples of the skills CAN's need in helping to care for residents with fragile skin. Topics include:
~ Structure & function of the skin
~ Factors contributing to skin breakdown
~ Skills needed to help prevent skin breakdown include, skin inspection cleansing, moisturizing and protecting & turning and repositioning
After completing this course, the learner should be able to:
~ Describe at least three important functions of the skin
~ Give three examples of factors that contribute to skin breakdown
~ List three examples of skin care that may be needed to prevent skin breakdown
~ Describe the action that should be taken when a change in a resident's skin condition is noticed
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