Pressure injuries, care and prevention: the case of wheelchair users

Abstract

The objective of this study was to understand the interference of pressure injuries on wheelchair users' lives and to verify the care and prevention strategies. This research is characterized as descriptive observational, with analysis and discussion of data under the qualitative paradigm. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 31 wheelchair users from the Spinal Injuries Association of Rio Grande do Sul. The qualitative analysis was performed by the data categorization and triangulation method. It was found that pressure injuries develop while users are hospitalized in hospital beds, due to the use of the wheelchair without the care of frequent seat pressure relief and the inappropriate cushions use. It was also observed that the injuries affect the health and interfere users’ quality of life, and the long treatment period for the healing of the injuries implies into the removal of social life. It’s concluded that the best solution is prevention, which should occur early through the use of products and practices that relieve pressure in certain places of the body on the wheelchair seat and in hospital beds.