Attitudes and practices of comprehensive nursing care in the elderly in an Ecuadorian Geriatric Center

Abstract

Introduction: Aging is a biological process considered a stage of life in which a series of structural and functional changes are experienced that take place over time, turning us into a situation of vulnerability. Objective: To analyze the attitudes and practices of comprehensive nursing care in the elderly in an Esteban Quirola Geriatric Center in the city of Machala-Ecuador. Materials and methods: It is a descriptive, cross-sectional study with census sampling. The sample consisted of 17 workers that include nursing technicians, nursing assistants, nutritionists, physiotherapists and social services, to whom a previously validated survey made up of 33 questions organized in 8 sections: 1) demographic data; 2) general care; 3) biosecurity; 4) diseases of the elderly; 5) feeding; 6) physical and recreational activity; 7) communication and 8) relationship, training. Results: A predominantly female population was found with 77.78%, 61.11% of the workers are in an age range between 31 and 50 years. Regarding general care, 66.67% of workers know about pressure ulcers, 44.44% stated that the patient's skin should be assessed and kept hydrated, 37.04% indicated that it should be changed position the patient every 2 hours. Conclusion: It is concluded that the workers of the Esteban Quirola Geriatric Center in the city of Machala have sufficient knowledge about basic care such as food, the implementation of playful games, the most common diseases that the elderly present, management of pressure ulcers, and how to manage factors to prevent falls.