HSC 358 IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUAL AT RISK OF SKIN BREAKDOWN AND UNDERTAKE THE APPROPRIATE RISK ASSESSMENT
Upon arriving at the care home, I shut the door behind me, clocked in using my time card and signed the staff log book which is a requirement of the fire safety policy. Prior to starting my shift, I attended the hand over held in the staff office with closed doors to maintain confidentiality and privacy of the residents. The hand over gives me important changes in the resident's health and social care needs, requirements and procedures that need implementing during the shift.
One of the residents I usually care for is Mrs H who has just come back from a hospital admission. According to her care plan Mrs H was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 4 which are predisposing factors for pressure sores. She is bed bound, cannot weight bear and had just undergone Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF) for fracture on her left tibia fibula which left her immobilised. She is also incontinent of urine and faeces which are all predisposing factors to sore development. As one of her primary carer, I was assigned to carry out a risk assessment for skin breakdown with the use of the Waterlow Scale.
I knocked on Mrs H's room before entering as a sign of respect for her privacy and greeted her good morning. I asked how she is and she smiled which means she is fine as she has difficulty speaking. I asked her if she would like to have her bed bath and she said "yes please". I informed her that I also need to carry out a risk assessment for skin breakdown to identify if she is at risk of developing a pressure sore. I explained the procedures that she will expect, the reasons behind these and I asked for her permission to carry on. She obliged by softly saying "ok" in a very low voice.
Before starting the assessment, I gathered all the things that I need. I observed standard precautions for infection