What does compromised skin integrity mean?

Skin integrity refers to skin health. A skin integrity issue might mean the skin is damaged, vulnerable to injury or unable to heal normally. A pressure wound (also called a pressure sore, bed sore or pressure ulcer) is an injury to the skin and surrounding tissue.

What are the risk factors for loss of skin integrity?

Friction, shear, moisture, pressure, and trauma are all causes of skin breakdown. These factors can work together or alone to damage and injure skin. Immobility, poor nutrition, incontinence, medications, hydration, impaired mental status, and loss of sensation are other culprits in skin breakdown.

What factors affect skin integrity?

Internal factors include the person’s age, health status, mobility, body weight. External factors may include pressure, shear or moisture. Often the person will have several of these factors which impact on skin integrity.

How do you improve impaired skin integrity?

KEEP THE SKIN CLEAN AND DRY: Clean the skin with a mild soap and warm water and rinse thoroughly. Gently pat dry.
Apply Lotions and ointments as prescribed- to prevent skin breakdown. This promotes skin integrity.
Never massage over an area of skin that is reddened or there is skin breakdown.

Why is intact skin necessary for protection?

Intact skin is the body’s first line of defense against the invasion of microorganisms, provides a protective barrier from numerous environmental threats, and facilitates retention of moisture.

How do you check for skin blanching?

Find and correct the cause immediately. Test your skin with the blanching test: Press on the red, pink or darkened area with your finger. The area should go white; remove the pressure and the area should return to red, pink or darkened color within a few seconds, indicating good blood flow.

Why is skin integrity so important?

Good skin integrity is vital to good health because the skin acts as a barrier to microbes and toxins, as well as physical stressors such as sunlight and radiation. It is well known that the skin loses integrity with the ageing process, and this makes older adults susceptible to pressure injury.

How do you prevent skin breakdown?

How can I keep my skin healthy?

Take responsibility for you own skin care.
Teach children to take responsibility for their own skin care.
Prevent mechanical Injury.
Keep skin clean and dry.
Eat a healthy diet.
Develop a good home rehabilitation program.
Avoid prolonged pressure on any one spot.
Use therapeutic surfaces.

Why is skin integrity important?

Why is skin integrity important in clients?

One of the most basic needs of patients is to maintain intact, healthy, moisturized skin. Intact skin is the body’s first line of defense against the invasion of microorganisms, provides a protective barrier from numerous environmental threats, and facilitates retention of moisture.

Why do we assess skin integrity?

To identify patients at risk for skin failure, assessment should be conducted on admission to the ward to identify any issues with the skin’s integrity such as existing wounds (especially pressure injuries) or vulnerable pressure points, excoriation and rashes.

Why is it important to maintain skin integrity?

What does impaired skin integrity mean?

Impaired skin integrity: breakdown in skin primarily due to impaired blood supply as a result of prolonged pressure on the tissue. Skin integrity may also be broken as a result of shearing or friction injury.

How do you maintain skin integrity?

Nutritional factors that can help maintain skin integrity: Stay hydrated. Eat a balance diet that includes protein. Include healthy fats in your diet. Make sure you are getting enough Vitamin A , C, E, K and minerals zinc, iron and copper. Shower or bathe using warm water as needed.

What is poor skin integrity?

Skin integrity can be defined as skin being whole, intact and undamaged. Poor skin integrity can lead to further complications such as pressure sores, infections and skin tears. Skin integrity can be assessed using the Braden Scale, the Norton Scale or the Waterlow Scale.

What is the risk of skin breakdown?

You are at greatest risk for skin breakdown if you move very little or you are in bed or in a chair for a long time, especially if you also have been losing weight. You are prone to have skin breakdown wherever the weight of your body presses into the bed or chair.