If a patient has a new area of skin breakdown and the nurse is due to visit in two days, what should the PCA do?

In cases of skin breakdown, timely communication and intervention are critical to prevent further complications. Reporting the new area of skin breakdown to the supervisor ensures that appropriate actions can be taken promptly, which may include adjusting the patient’s care plan or arrangements for additional assessments by the healthcare team. This approach prioritizes the patient’s well-being and ensures that the healthcare team is aware of any changes in the patient's condition that could potentially lead to serious health issues, such as infection or worsening of the skin condition.

While documenting the issue is important for maintaining accurate patient records, and checking with the patient daily may help monitor changes, neither of these actions replaces the necessity of alerting supervisory or nursing staff who can provide the necessary care and oversight. Ignoring the issue could lead to deterioration of the patient’s condition, making reporting the situation to the supervisor the most responsible and effective course of action.