Prevenir e tratar escaras na UTI: O papel do enfermeiro e estratégias eficazes de cuidado

Abstract

Bedsores, also known as pressure sores (PI), are common and costly, potentially preventable events in the hospital environment, with severity categorized into four stages, from hyperemia to exposure of deep structures. In ICUs, patients face a high risk of PI due to factors such as immobility and the use of medical devices. Nurses play a crucial role in the prevention and management of PI, leading multidisciplinary interventions to provide quality care and improve the implementation of evidence-based measures. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the pathophysiology, aiming to understand the mechanisms behind its development and identify risk factors, as well as analyze and discuss nursing strategies to effectively prevent PI in the ICU. This is a qualitative and exploratory literature review. Relevant material was searched for in the SciELO and PubMed databases using the terms “Pressure Ulcer”, “Intensive Care Units” and “Nurses” combined with the “AND” connective. The inclusion criteria were free original articles in Portuguese, published in the last five years (2019-2024), and containing information pertinent to the proposed topic. Incomplete, repeated and out-of-scope studies were excluded. Pressure injuries (PI) are a serious health concern, causing pain, immobility and high costs. Prevention involves skin assessment, pressure relief and continuing professional education. Strategies include standardization of interventions, multidisciplinary teams and dynamic support surfaces. Nurses are crucial, requiring training, continuous development and adequate nurse-patient ratios to improve care and the working environment.