PICOT is a method that is usually used when one is to develop any questioned aimed at locating the appropriate evidence. The PICOT method for the Pressure ulcers can be formulated as follows.
1. The patients’ disease or population: the disease of discussion is pressure ulcers that affect many people around the globe. Pressure ulcers may affect areas such as the heel. This may lead to heel pressure ulcers.
2. Intervention: this is the issue of interest; take a type of pressure ulcers known as heel pressure ulcer, the issue of interest in this type of pressure ulcer in the Heel protectors.
3. Comparison intervention: the comparison intervention is also an issue that may be of interest since in this case it is the repositioning. It tends to compare repositioning with the use of the heel protectors.
4. Outcome: the outcome in this can be the prevention of the pressure ulcer that will result in the reduce case of the disease.
5. Timeframe: the time frame can be optional but for this case a period of one month can be used.
With the identification of the above elements, the question of the research would be: is the use of the heel protectors helpful and effective in the prevention of heel pressure cancer as compared to the regular repositioning? With this question at hand, the process of literature searching begins to find an appropriate answer to the question above. The literature can either support that heel protector is helpful as regular repositioning or not.
The prolonged pressure exposure could be the main reason of the pressure ulcers, and thus, the use of appropriate prevention involvement must try to minimize or avoid the pressure exposure. Therefore, the frequent patient repositioning has over the time been the most recommended means in the prevention of pressure ulcers. Evidence gives the suggestion that frequent repositioning after an interval of four hours, when accompanied by effective distribution of pressure could be the most effective in the prevention of the heel pressure (Baranoski & Ayello, 2008).
However, the use of the heel protectors has been useful in the prevention of the pressure ulcers. The heel protectors may be having some risks involved when used; the patients who use the heel protection devices may not be in the position of developing the heel ulcer pressure or any contracture in plantar flexion (In Action, 2012). This answers the question that the heel protectors are useful in the prevention of the pressure ulcers as repositioning since its use leads to the reduction in the pressure that muscle is exposed.
Proposed practice changes
In the efforts to reduce and prevent the pressure ulcers, many methods should be employed by the patients. The use of heel protectors has been found to be of significance since the patients who have already practiced the use of heel protectors have witnessed the reduction and prevention of pressure ulcers. This is because the use of the heel protectors helps reduce the pressure thereby preventing the pressure ulcers. This method works in the same way as the regular repositioning and turning of individuals. Other methods that can be used in the prevention and control of the pressure ulcers is the use heel suspension methods. Most of the methods that aim to reduce the pressure are helpful in the prevention of the pressure ulcers.
References:
Baranoski, S., & Ayello, E. A. (2008). Wound care essentials: Practice principles. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
In Action, Q. A. (2012). Skin ulcers: Advances in research and treatment: ScholarlyBrief.
