The pressure ulcers that are acquired by the patients in the hospital occur due to their immobility

The pressure ulcers that are acquired by the patients in the hospital occur due to their immobility, which causes skin or tissue injury (Leeper, 2014). Such ulcers can prove to be highly harmful for the patients as they experience pain due to the infection, prolonging their hospital stay and sometimes leading to grave consequences like death. The prior research in the specific domain has included the possible treatments that can be given to the patients in the case of HAPUs (Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers), which relied on the experience and knowledge of the nurses (Thomas & Compton, 2013). The gap in knowledge concerning the identification of an effective distinction between the patients suffering from the disease and those, who are at the risk for the same, has been emphasized in this research and proper training and education to the nurses for preventing the ulcers (Nolan & Schall, 2007).
The authors have depicted the research significance in an effective manner wherein they have discussed the high cost incurred, which is around $43180, for treating the patients with HAPUs, along with other serious impact, such as death pain and infections (Armour-Burton et al., 2013). Such grave implications facilitate the reader to inculcate the interest of reading the research so as to gain awareness regarding the gravity of the problem. The authors have also been successfully able to reflect the significance of this project in the nursing arena so as to decrease and treat the patients suffering from pressure ulcers.
Purpose and Research Questions
In the context of the present research, the authors have described the research purpose in terms of the implementation of the “Healthy Skin Project” at Sharp Grossmont Hospital situated in San Diego, California and assess its effectiveness in identifying and treating the patients, who have acquired pressure ulcer or are at the verge of acquiring them (Armour-Burton et al., 2013). The research took into consideration the data regarding the prevalence of the pressure ulcers, which were reduced through the years 2006 to 2011 with the help of project implementation. The qualitative methods did not prove to be appropriate for the specific research as it required the evidence-based findings and results.
In this essence, the authors crafted a quantitative tool backed up by an algorithm technique for assessing the pressure ulcer so as to evaluate the wound management. The authors have not explicitly included the research questions in the research. In addition to this, the research findings have been well-aligned with the existing research studies so as to increase the credibility of the results gained by the authors. However, by considering the research purpose and the results, the research questions can be inferred as the evaluation or the extent to which ‘The Healthy Skin Project’ is effective in treating and identifying the patients suffering from or at the risk of acquiring pressure ulcers at the hospitals.
Literature Review
For this research work, the literature review can be considered as one of the most effective and highlighted parts as the authors have directed to refer to a number of different research articles for the purpose of providing evidences to the findings. In this regard, the authors of the research work have directed to use both, qualitative and quantitative articles for the purpose of gathering information about the article. In the research work, the author has used 13 different articles among wherein both qualitative and quantitative articles are involved (Armour-Burton et al., 2013). In addition to this for the purpose of elaborating the findings in the most effective manner, authors have also included reports and online articles.
The researchers of the presented research article have tried to use contemporary research articles from the year 2006 to 2013, which are directed to make the results of the research work more relevant (Armour-Burton et al., 2013). However, for elaborating the findings more specifically, the researchers have chosen the article of Braden BJ, Bergstrom N. (1989), which was too old, but in the qualitative nature of research studies, these types of old articles can be used (Armour-Burton et al., 2013). One of the major weaknesses of the research article is that the authors of the article did not reflect the weaknesses of the available studies. The authors have considered different arguments and inferences form the article, but he did not indicated the evaluation of the articles studies, which made it difficult for the researchers to find the rational of the presented research and knowledge gap.
The researchers of the article has tried to make a specific flow and logical arguments for the research work so that a specific base for the data findings and analysis can be developed in the most effective manner. In relation to this, the author has built an algorithm based on the arguments shown by different literatures, which made it quite easy for the reader to interpret the finding and procedures.
Conceptual / Theoretical Framework
The authors have crafted a well-designed theoretical framework for this research work in the form of an algorithm for ensuring pressure ulcer management. The algorithm was an evidence-based tool so as to include feasible results, thereby enhancing the credibility of the research (Armour-Burton et al., 2013). The framework was developed with the help of the research findings, wherein the authors have resorted to expand the scope of the research. The framework has been well-explained and took into consideration the patients, who are either the sufferers of pressure ulcers or were at risk for the same. In addition to this, the author has been able to align the research purpose and findings with the theoretical framework directed towards assessing skin breakdown.
The authors have been able to identify a particular perspective for the development of the research work, which included the decision-making process involving the consultation with healthcare disciplines depending on the gravity of the skin breakdown. In this essence, the authors have crafted a plan for evaluating the nutritional status of the patient and were referred to the healthcare provider, nutritional service consultant or surgical services consultant based on the findings gained (Burns & Grove, 2011). Therefore, the algorithm has been able to direct the authors towards viable research results wherein the HAPUs prevalence was assessed, which decreased after the project’s implementation