Nursing diagnosis impaired tissue integrity identified in elderly patients in the Family Health Strategy

Abstract

doi: 10.5216/ree.v12i4.8425

The skin exposition to aggressive agents results in the appearance of wounds that commit the well being of patients. In the elderly, this may lead to sickening and installation of hazards that will reduce the life quality of this population. The nurse's evaluation of a patient who presents skin wounds reveals itself essential and aims the promotion of adequate conditions to the tissue's healing process. This research had as objective identify the occurrence of impaired tissue integrity, the most frequent types of wounds and the products used in treatment. Descriptive and quantitative study, in which took part 27 elderly patients with impaired tissue integrity, all registered in family health strategies of a municipality in the state of Goias in 2009. An evaluation of the health and wound status was made during nursing consults. Through the analysis of data it was identified that 74,0% of the patients were female, 70,3% were between 60 to 69 years-old and 33,3% were married. Most frequent type of wound was the venous ulcer (66,6%). The participants presented up to the associated pathologies, in such a way that 66,6% had diabetes and 55,5% had venous insufficiency. The most utilized product by the patients was the AGE. The nurse's criterious evaluation contributes to a planning made according to the population's needs and safe actuation of the nursing professional.

Descriptors: Nursing diagnosis; Elderly; Wound healing.