Bedsores are wounds that appear on bony parts of the body as a result of pressure or rubbing. They pose a threat to a patient’s overall health, and their treatment may be costly for caregivers. Hence, it is essential to develop bedsores’ treatment strategies and implement them in hospitals. This paper will include the review and comparison of three articles related to the ways of treating decubitus among patients of all age groups in different hospital settings.
For this synthesis, three articles related to bedsores’ treatment were chosen. The first reviewed article deals with the implementation of support surfaces in treating pressure ulcers (McInnes et al., 2018). The aim of the review was to explore various support surfaces such as specially-designed beds, cushions, or mattresses and find out whether they can help deal with decubitus (McInnes et al., 2018). These devices are designed to protect body parts that are likely to be affected by bedsores and ensure even distribution of the surface pressure. The researchers compared low-tech tools such as mattresses filled with fluid, foam, beads, air, and high-tech support surfaces, including electrically powered overlays (McInnes et al., 2018). Apart from the support surfaces’ effectiveness in treating bedsores, the researchers also compared their cost, durability, and reliability.
The next article is also connected with the issue of pressure ulcers treatment. Norman et al. (2016) considered the use of antiseptics and antibiotics in order to prevent the spread of infections caused by bedsores. The research aimed to understand whether antimicrobial agents facilitate the ulcer’s healing. The study was based on the claim that there is a relationship between micro-organism populations in wounds, infection, and the healing process, but this connection is still unclear (Norman et al., 2016). Moreover, the reviewed studies included low numbers of patients, and many of them did not contain necessary information about the procedure. Hence, there is a need for further research on antimicrobial treatment effectiveness that will involve more participants and data.
The last reviewed article is focused on treating pressure ulcers with the help of electromagnetic therapy. Aziz & Bell‐Syer (2015) examined a number of trials where this form of therapy was used to improve the healing of decubitus and other chronic wounds. An electromagnetic field produced by electrodes is believed to positively affect the wounds and speed their healing (Aziz & Bell‐Syer, 2015). Nevertheless, the trials’ results are insufficient to prove the beneficial influence of EMT on the bedsores’ healing.
The three articles have certain similarities, such as the commonality of their goals – to find out effective ways of treating pressure ulcers. All of them reviewed other studies and trials to determine the effect of a certain treatment method. Moreover, the articles have limitations and a lack of information, meaning that further research is required. For instance, the three studies include an insufficient number of participants and do not provide enough information about how the trials were conducted.
As for me, I cannot draw firm conclusions from the reviewed articles due to the lack of evidence. There are also clear differences between the reviewed articles, which are also worth mentioning. For example, each of the papers describes different bedsores’ treatment methods. Furthermore, two of them address the methods of treating pressure ulcers, and one deals with using special tools. As for my personal experience, I have a particular interest in the implementation of special equipment such as air mattresses when dealing with bedsores. That is why the first article was useful to me, and I will explore this issue further.
In conclusion, the treatment of pressure ulcers is a burning issue for the healthcare system, and this topic deserves consideration. Bedsores are wounds that appear on the patient’s body after prolonged pressure. In this paper, the three articles dealing with bedsores’ treatment were reviewed and compared. However, further research is needed as there is a lack of evidence in all of the studies.
References
Aziz, Z., & Bell‐Syer, S. E. (2015). Electromagnetic therapy for treating pressure ulcers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 9(CD002930). 1-21.
McInnes, E., Jammali‐Blasi, A., Bell‐Syer, S. E., & Leung, V. (2018). Support surfaces for treating pressure ulcers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10(CD009490). 1-64.
Norman, G., Dumville, J. C., Moore, Z. E., Tanner, J., Christie, J., & Goto, S. (2016). Antibiotics and antiseptics for pressure ulcers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 4(CD011586). 1-68.