OBJECTIVE: Tackling the huge problem of Pressure Ulcers (PU), involves looking for new recording methods and strategies, as well as the standardization of the assessment and intervention criteria. In this context, a specific software application for PU management has been developed and was used for assessing its acceptability, usefulness and applicability by professional nurses from three residential homes for the elderly over a period of one year. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A software application is designed and evaluated. This software application allows health professionals to: Manage and monitor PUs.; to determine the risk of PUs; and perform a nutritional status screen, based on a comprehensive data collection, processing and interpretation. It also allows health professionals to exchange data between themselves and at different care levels, which could provide a new approach based on the use of ICT as a tool for an agreement to shared care. This approach has an important journey ahead in terms of its assessment, to which we attempt to contribute through this article. RESULTS: Three centres and 69 residents are taking part in this project. During these processes, 27 nutritional status screens and 22 PU risk assessments, as well as the monitoring of 230 PUs have been performed. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses professionals think that the system is useful, easy to use, and perceive that it improves patient monitoring, but not relationship between professionals. Moreover, they would like to makethe web a more powerful part of the application and to speed up the procedures.
OBJECTIVE: Tackling the huge problem of Pressure Ulcers (PU), involves looking for new recording methods and strategies, as well as the standardization of the assessment and intervention criteria. In this context, a specific software application for PU management has been developed and was used for assessing its acceptability, usefulness and applicability by professional nurses from three residential homes for the elderly over a period of one year. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A software application is designed and evaluated. This software application allows health professionals to: Manage and monitor PUs.; to determine the risk of PUs; and perform a nutritional status screen, based on a comprehensive data collection, processing and interpretation. It also allows health professionals to exchange data between themselves and at different care levels, which could provide a new approach based on the use of ICT as a tool for an agreement to shared care. This approach has an important journey ahead in terms of its assessment, to which we attempt to contribute through this article. RESULTS: Three centres and 69 residents are taking part in this project. During these processes, 27 nutritional status screens and 22 PU risk assessments, as well as the monitoring of 230 PUs have been performed. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses professionals think that the system is useful, easy to use, and perceive that it improves patient monitoring, but not relationship between professionals. Moreover, they would like to makethe web a more powerful part of the application and to speed up the procedures.
Keywords:
Acceptability; Aceptabilidad; Aplicabilidad; Applicability; Information and communication technology; Management support; Pressure ulcers; Soporte gestión; Tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones; Ulceras por presión