Quality of life and pressure ulcers: What is the impact?

Having a pressure ulcer, particularly a stage 4 ulcer, which exposes muscle and often times bone and can require major reconstruction surgery, significantly impacts an individual's life in overt as well as covert ways. Each person uniquely defines this impact, while the breadth and depth of-the effects on quality of life (QoL) impact the provision of care as well. Healthcare providers in every clinical setting who care for such individuals must be acutely aware of and sensitive to the impacts and issues on every dimension of QoL. This article discusses research findings of the impact of having a pressure ulcer and the sequelae of such an ulcer on multiple dimensions of QoL.