Experience of the vulnology team during COVID-19 period

The Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) significantly increased the hospitalisation of patients mainly due to respiratory complications, especially in intensive care units. During the first wave, COVID-19 patients had more Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ingiury (HAPI) than non-COVID-19 patients. The fragility of these patients, the manoeuvres required for their respiratory support and the use of numerous medical devices are the main reasons for the high risk of loss of skin integrity. The onset of skin lesions has consequences in terms of increased hospitalisation, care costs and, not least, a negative impact on the quality of life of patients. In light of these premises, the nursing vulnology team of the HUB Mauriziano Hospital in Turin, during the pandemic period, planned and carried out an intervention for the prevention/treatment of skin lesions and to support healthcare workers involved in caring for COVID-19 patients in the hospital wards. The activity was carried out during the period from 30/10/2020 to 30/04/2021. A total of 679 patients were enrolled in the study. In 361 patients (53.2%) only preventive activities were performed, 343 (95%) of these patients did not develop any injuries. Age, length of hospital stay and Braden score were the most relevant factors in patients with HAPI. In 318 (46.8%) patients, in addition to preventive interventions, treatment of pre-existing skin injuries was carried out, in this sample in 28 (8.8%) of the cases there was a worsening of the skin lesions. Finally, almost all of the practitioners, 113 out of 118 (96%), recognised the usefulness of the support of specialists in Wound Care by completing an online questionnaire.