• To understand how skin tears commonly develop in older people with fragile skin
• To appreciate that while skin tears are normally acute, they can develop into chronic, non-healing wounds
• To learn more about prevention, evaluation and treatment of skin tears in older people
Skin tears are common injuries that result from mechanical forces. Older people with fragile skin are at greater risk of this type of wound. They are usually categorised as acute wounds that typically heal in 7-21 days but the healing process can be disrupted, leading to chronic, non-healing wounds. They have the potential to compromise quality of life and disrupt daily activities, so it is important to identify risk factors and implement prevention strategies for those at risk. An interdisciplinary approach has a pivotal role in promptly and precisely identifying skin tears, and the use of evidence-based interventions for efficient skin damage management can enhance the recovery process. This article adopts a case study approach to explore the prevention, evaluation and treatment of skin tears, using the case of an individual living with a skin tear in a community setting.
Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2024.e1462
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone declared
LeBlanc K, Ousey K (2024) Assessment, prevention and management of skin tears in older people. Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2024.e1462
Published online: 26 June 2024
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