Skin Care for the Elderly
Contact Hours: 1
Cost: $10.00
For a complete list of accreditations for this course, please see the accreditation information box below the author’s bio. All states (with the exception of Hawaii) recognize our courses for accredited continuing nursing education, CNE, contact hours.
This Skin Care for the Elderly course will provide participants with a review of the basic safety considerations and guidelines necessary to maintain healthy skin and prevent skin breakdown in elderly clients, patients and residents. This review can be utilized for nursing assistive personnel throughout all healthcare settings, as the safety considerations for skin care do not change according to level of acuity. Within this course, the participant will review basic anatomy and physiology of the skin, normal changes of ageing and the skin, common skin problems of the elderly or ill, risk factors for skin breakdown, skin breakdown prevention interventions and strategies, improving communication to prevent skin breakdown, identifying the different types of skin breakdown, providing care for someone with impaired skin integrity, documenting and reporting skin impairment, and how to complete incident reporting in a timely and thorough manner.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
1. Identify the basic anatomy and physiology of the skin.
2. Describe normal changes of aging and the skin.
3. Identify common skin problems of the elderly or ill.
4. Discuss risk factors that may cause skin breakdown.
5. Describe several ways to prevent skin breakdown.
6. Explain how improving communication can prevent impaired skin integrity.
8. Identify the different types of skin breakdown.
9. Discuss ways to care for someone with impaired skin integrity.
10. Describe effective documenting and reporting skin impairment.
11. Explain how to complete incident reporting in a timely and thorough manner.
Curriculum
Chapter 1: Basic Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin
• Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin
• Normal Changes of Ageing and the Skin
Chapter 2: Common Skin Problems of the Elderly or Ill
• Skin Dryness
• Skin Tears
• Incontinence Associated Dermatitis (IAD)
• Bruising, Contusions and Hematomas
• Edema
• Pressure Ulcers
Chapter 3: Skin Breakdown Risk Factors and Prevention
• Skin Assessment
• Identifying Risk Factors for Skin Breakdown
Chapter 4: Providing High-Quality Skin Care
• Caring for Healthy Skin
• Caring for Impaired Skin
• Documenting and Reporting Impaired Skin Integrity
Chapter 5: Incident Reporting
• Completing an Incident Report in a Timely and Thorough Manner
Chapter 6: References