The Risk Assessment Scales are an Efficient Tool in the Prevention of Pressure Ulcers in Hospitalized Neonates.

2014

In the last decade, the increase of new health technologies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) -adapted from technological advances in adults- has led a significant increase in survival and prognosis of some neonates diseases with high-risk situations (premature) and critical conditions (respiratory distress). Some health technologies (mechanical ventilation, hemodiafiltration, Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation-ECMO) require that the infant remains sedated and maintain prolonged immobility. This situation favouring the occurrence of Pressure Ulcers (PU) in hospitalized neonates. In Spain in neonatal units the prevalence rates are from 50% in NICU, and 12.5% in hospitalization [1-3]. …