What is the impact of COVID-19 on tissue viability services and pressure ulceration?

Abstract

This paper explores and reviews the relevant literature and examines the impact that the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the tissue viability service (TVS) and the incidence of pressure ulcers (PUs) in a large UK teaching hospital NHS trust. A comparison has been undertaken of referral data to the TVS during two time periods—Oct–Dec 2019 and April–June 2020. Data show that the PU rate per 1000 beds increased from a pre-pandemic level of around 1 to over 2.7 in the first month of the pandemic, with an increase in device and prone position-related PUs, particularly in the expanded critical care patient population. Even though the bed occupancy decreased, the proportion of ungradable PUs increased, but there was little change in the number of Category 1 and 2 PUs.