Pressure Sore Advice Please

[Kay111]

Hello, I'd appreciate some advice as dad has developed a pressure sore in the past few days.

Dad was knocked out with a chest infection this last week and he barely moved for 2-3 days. We tried to adjust his position as much as poss but he would end up back in the same way himself. He's immobile in that he's in bed/sits in a chair and has never had a pressure sore before as he can still shuffle his own position quite a lot usually. It's just when he was ill he wouldn't move.

It was red for a couple of days and we put Cavillon on. Yesterday night we noticed the skin looked a little broken. Maybe like a blister (but not pus-filled.) He hasn't got a temperature or anything and is really bright again after his chest infection.

I was just wondering what we could do - at what stage do we ask a doctor or nurse to look at it? We're just covering it in cavillon and we've put a pillow under that hip (it's more to the side as when he was ill he'd turn to one side).

(And why does dad always get ill on the weekends when there aren't regular docs to ask?!!? haha.)

Thank you.x

 

[canary]

I think that now the skin has broken it needs someone to look at it and the district nurse to dress it regularly.
Dont leave it.

 

[70smand]

I would definitely get advice from the district nurse ASAP - they may feel your Dad would benefit from a pressure mattress, which they can organise.
Barrier creams are good up to a point but the only way to heal it is to relieve the pressure, with regular changes of position, which it sounds like you are doing with the pillow.
Best wishes x

 

[Kay111]

Thanks @canary and @70smand - will see how to get a district nurse out.

Dad's got an airflow mattress already, it's just that when he was ill he would always gravitate to lying on one side, despite us moving him. Now that he's better he isn't on one side any more and he's not really lying on the sore. We've just got the pillow to keep his leg up so he doesn't roll back on it.

 

[Nigel_2172]

I would say get it looked at as soon as possible. I was shocked at how quickly my wife developed a pressure sore and how fast it developed. She had been bedridden and immobile for about three months with no problem. Until you can get it looked at, pillows and very regular repositioning are needed to take the weight off the affected area.

 

[RosettaT]

In my area the community nurses don't have an emergency service their answer phone tells you ring 111. Pressure sores can develop really quick so don't delay in calling.

I too always hit the weekend barrier when OH is ill.

Edit: Just to clarify 111 will forward a request to on call nurses if deemed necessary but you can't speak to them yourself at a w/e.

 

[chippiebites]

My husband came home from a week's respite with pressure sores on his heels. The DNs said not to put Cavilon on the area that was damaged to begin with. They didn't want added moisture and Cavilon will keep moisture in. It will depend on the severity of the sore. I would get the pressure sore looked at ASAP. I would try and get a nurse out . The nursing home that my husband used for respite said the sores had started overnight and they got worse very quickly. Using a pillow to stop the pressure is good.

 

[Kay111]

Thank you @Nigel_2172 @RosettaT @chippiebites

The district nurse won't come out til Tuesday I hope we can manage it OK until then.

 

[Lirene]

You are right to worry, keep ringing to see if he can be seen sooner. Hospital seems to use Medihoney barrier cream. Good luck xx

 

[Nigel_2172]

In the nursing home, my wife's pressure sore was protected alternately with an antiseptic dressing and a manuka honey dressing. Unfortunately, by the time the sore developed, she was too weak for it to heal. With care however, it stopped getting worse.