What it is: Wounds are damage or breaks of the skin and are common at the end of life. Wounds include:
- pressure ulcers
- ischemic wounds
- skin tears
- skin changes.
Why it matters: The skin is an organ. The skin deteriorates with advanced disease. As the body weakens with age, severe illness, or multiple illnesses, wounds can become more common. Wounds affect a person’s quality of life due to:
- pain
- unpleasant smell
- putrid or bad smelling discharge
- disturbed sleep
- the time it takes to look after a wound.
A person with a wound or skin changes may feel embarrassed. They may not want to be around other people.
Wounds can be worsened by:
- poor handling technique
- rushing the person during care
- poor hygiene
- inadequate wound care.
What I need to know: Despite good wound care, wounds may not heal. However, wound care should be continued to prevent more damage.