The nurse on a care area focusing on tertiary prevention. Which goal is most consistent with this focus?

The nurse on a care area focusing on tertiary prevention. Which goal is most consistent with this focus?

• A. Patients at risk for skin breakdown will be turned every 2 hours.
• B. Patients with pressure ulcers will have whirlpool therapy as indicated.
• C. Patients will be assessed for factors that place them at risk for skin breakdown.
• D. Patients are instructed to change positions in bed every 2 hours to prevent skin breakdown.

Answer: (B)

Tertiary prevention focuses on reducing complications and promoting healing once a disease or injury is established. For a patient with an existing pressure ulcer, the goal is to treat the wound to prevent infection, promote healing, and prevent progression. Whirlpool therapy is a wound-care intervention used to cleanse and debride an established ulcer and support healing, which fits this purpose perfectly. The other options are aimed at preventing ulcers before they occur or at early detection. Turning a patient every 2 hours and instructing position changes are primary prevention strategies to avert skin breakdown. Assessing factors that place a patient at risk is screening/secondary prevention to identify risk early.

Tertiary prevention focuses on reducing complications and promoting healing once a disease or injury is established. For a patient with an existing pressure ulcer, the goal is to treat the wound to prevent infection, promote healing, and prevent progression. Whirlpool therapy is a wound-care intervention used to cleanse and debride an established ulcer and support healing, which fits this purpose perfectly.

The other options are aimed at preventing ulcers before they occur or at early detection. Turning a patient every 2 hours and instructing position changes are primary prevention strategies to avert skin breakdown. Assessing factors that place a patient at risk is screening/secondary prevention to identify risk early.