Risk assessment for injuries resulting from positioning and incidence of neuropathy and skin lesions

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives: to assess the risk of developing injuries resulting from surgical positioning in adult patients undergoing elective surgery and to identify the incidence of neurological complications and skin lesions in the perioperative period. Methods: an observational, longitudinal, prospective, and quantitative study conducted in a medium-sized hospital in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. Results: the study sample was predominantly female (57%), with a median age of 55 years. Of these, 72.8% had pre-existing conditions, with overweight (41.8%) or obesity (34.8%). The Risk Assessment Scale for the Development of Injuries Resulting from Surgical Positioning score was low risk (75.9%), with an incidence of 6.4% of peripheral neuropathy and 0.8% of pressure injury (stage 1/sacral region). Conclusions: using risk assessment scales for the development of injuries helps to systematize nursing care. Studies on the incidence of injuries (skin and peripheral neuropathy) are essential for situational diagnosis and subsequent creation of strategies to reduce risks.