Prevention of corneal ulcer in hospitalized trauma patients during the intensive care unit admission: Nursing role

Abstract

Abstract

              Corneal ulcer (CU) is a wounded condition of the cornea leading to infectious keratitis. The causes of UC consist of eyelid abnormalities, difficulty to close the eyes properly, having the eye injury, and decreased level of consciousness due to severe trauma. UC occurs in the intensive care unit approximately3.6-60 % and mostly appears during 2-7 days. CU may result from drug used such as analgesics, muscle relaxants, sedative and environment. In addition, prolonged admit in the intensive care unit is the risk factor of CU. Most of eye preventive measures will be given to the patients after they has passed the critical period, thereby causing severe corneal ulceration including risk of vision loss and blindness. Nurse play important roles on prevention of CU in the accident patients admitted in the intensive care unit until discharge. The 5 steps of nursing process apply in caring these patients include (1) assessment of the patient’s symptoms at first admission (2) establishment of nursing diagnosis (3) nursing care plan construction (4) implementation of nursing care activities to prevent CU (5) evaluation of nursing care to prevent and reduce corneal damages. All of those processes can lessen vision loss, disability, medical expenses and length of hospital stay.