What do you know about various stages of pressure sores and how to care for them?
"From my CNA training, I know that pressure sores start as a mild spot on the body after a patient is laying in one position for too long and pressure from their body cuts off the blood supply. If left too long, the sore can turn for the worse pretty quickly into an open wound that breaks through the skins and into the fatty tissue and muscles. The most important things to keep in mind with pressure sores is cleaning them thoroughly and relieving pressure from the area by turning the patient."
In your work as a Certified Nursing Assistant at this organization, you will likely be spending more direct time with patients than the physicians and RN's on staff. Because of this, you will be relied upon to notice things like pressure sores and other common ailments that patients can experience when bedridden. Talk openly about the knowledge you have regarding pressure sores and how to properly care for them in the various stages. Talk about the importance of documenting the sores and communicating them to the entire patient care team. If you don't have hands-on experience in handling patients with pressure sores, that is okay. Just be sure to talk about your knowledge and reiterate that you are always open to learning more in this role.
"I am very familiar with bedsores as they were extremely important to catch in my last role as a CNA. Patients on bed rest can develop sores easily, and it was important that I always look for them and manage them appropriately at an early stage. When a bedsore starts to develop, it starts as a red area on the skin, and the patient will feel a burning or itching sensation in that area. Whenever I would notice one starting, I immediately would change the patient's position and use foam pads or pillows under it. I would then wash the sore with soap and water and dry it immediately. If a sore ever got deeper and broke the skin, communication to the care team becomes very important. Thorough cleaning does as well. In the few times I have seen pressure sores progress to this stage, the team has taken further precautions for ensuring that no more pressure is put on the wound."
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