The Effect of Carer Training on Pressure Ulcers in Palliative Care Patients

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems related to life-threatening diseases. This care model focuses on meeting the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients. . Pressure ulcers are one of the most common and serious problems in palliative care. Pressure ulcers are injuries occurring on the skin or soft tissue. They develop due to pressure on certain parts of the body over a long period of time. If not treated immediately, they may cause fatal complications. Pressure ulcers affect more than 1 in 10 adult patients admitted to hospital and are highly preventable.

Most palliative care patients cannot provide self-care. Therefore, caregivers are one of the most important determinants of the patient's health status. At this point, the knowledge and skill levels of carers who provide direct care to patients are of great importance. Increasing the level of knowledge and awareness of caregivers to prevent pressure ulcers is a critical strategy to prevent the formation of these wounds and to accelerate the healing of existing wounds. In a systematic review of thirty-one articles, it was stated that pressure ulcers significantly limit many aspects of an individual's well-being, including mental and physical health and quality of life. Therefore, caregivers should have adequate knowledge about practices to prevent bedsores.

The aim of this article is to examine the effect of the training of carers caring for palliative care patients on the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. In this context, how the training affects the level of knowledge and practices of the carers will be evaluated. The findings obtained will contribute to improving the quality of patient care by providing strategic recommendations for the improvement of palliative care services.