Explain why the tissue viability risk assessment should be regularly reviewed and repeated

Tissue viability risk assessment is very important as part of individual’s health and wellbeing. It is also an organisational requirement and our duty of care. Most of the individuals in our service provision are aged and vulnerable to immunity. Some of them are with no mobility and lack of mental capacity. As part of our duty of care, we must carry out duties which concerns to individual’s health and wellbeing.

Individuals with existing skin conditions may exacerbate if we do not regularly monitor or review the tissue viability risk assessment. Individuals may require further treatment which cannot be identified, if we do not review tissue viability risk assessment regularly. Failure to carry out tissue viability risk assessment or review or monitor existing risk assessment can result in safeguarding issue.

By Md Foisal Miah Talukdar

Give an example of an agreed way of working in your workplace and explain why it is important

Confidentiality is one of the agreed ways of working in our workplace. Therefore, we must not disclose any individual's personal or sensitive information to others. In order to work in this particular agreed way, we must keep care plan and other paper work where we record individual's sensitive and personal information in a locked cabinet or designated place. We must shred any unnecessary paper where individual's personal information is recorded.

Why it is important? : It is against law to disclose individual's personal and sensitive information without individual's consent. It also does not support dignity for the individual. Confidentiality is one of the principle care standard and regulator's standard we must follow. Failure to protect individual's personal and sensitive information may result in penalty, disciplinary action, prosecution and even operation closure. 

By Md Foisal Miah Talukdar

Describe what to look for when assessing the skin

Tissue viability risk assessments are mostly carried out by observation. Therefore, a pair of keen eyes with understanding of healthy skin is needed for the procedures. What to look for when assessing skin are described here in below –

·         Intact or freckled

·         Dryness, moist or well hydrated

·         Existing skin condition or skin disease

·         Colour such as redness or normal

·         Any inflammation of skin

·         Existing bruises, blisters and sores

By Md Foisal Miah Talukdar

Describe the changes that occur when damage caused by pressure develops

The changes that occur on skin when damage caused by pressure are described here in below –

Bruise: Skin colour may change into red, dark red, reddish black or black, due to continuous pressure or strong pressure on skin.

Blister: Blister may appear or develop due to constant and vigorous pressure or friction on skin.

Sore: Bruises may turn into a sore or open sore due to further pressure on affected area of skin. Individual may develop bed sore due to constant pressure on their skin.

Wound: Blisters may turn into an open wound due to further constant pressure on the affected skin.

Pressure ulcer: Pressure ulcer may be developed on skin due to prolonged pressure on skin.

By Md Foisal Miah Talukdar

Describe your rights and responsibilities as a worker

Health and safety

My rights are to have a safe working environment. I must have all the equipment or machineries as necessary to perform any tasks safely. I must have access to the required information, guidelines and trainings. My responsibilities are to cooperate with employer by reporting any concerns that can breach the health and safety law. I must use equipment as directed including PPE.

Confidentiality

My rights are to have training on confidentiality or information security. I must have instructions, system and equipment in place to follow such procedures.
My responsibilities are not to share any confidential information without individual's consent. I must keep all the daily care log book locked away. In the event of any confidentiality breach I must report to my manager as soon as possible.

Working time

I am entitled to receive work according to my contract. I am entitled to have a break of at least 15 minutes every 4-6 hours of work. I must opt out of working time regulation if I intend to work more than 48 hours.

Pay and wages

My right is to receive wages according to the contract of employment and must meet NMW. My employer must collect Tax and National insurance contribution and pay to appropriate authority (such as HMRC, DWP) on my behalf. I am entitled to have paid holiday. My responsibilities are to produce correct working hours to the employer including proof of any extra costs incurred due to carry out specific job.

By Md Foisal Miah Talukdar