- Research Snapshot 2023
- Foreword
- A message from the RBWH Foundation
- A message from The Common Good
- Research stories
- Pre-hospital pathway improving heart attack outcomes
- Caboolture diabetic research attracting global attention
- Improving safety of kidney biopsies at the RBWH
- Breakthrough for diabetes foot ulcer sufferers
- Using artificial intelligence for polyp detection in colonoscopy
- Kids Pain Collaborative at Redcliffe Hospital
- Virtual reality and education for low back pain
- Gestational diabetes screening could be easier thanks to COVID
- Whole Genome Sequencing pilot helps patients and families
- QUT Metro North Nursing and Midwifery Academy
- Vertigo management key tool to preventing falls in older patients
- Community dysphagia research highlights telehealth importance
- RADAR RR grant to provide hospital level care at home
- Does antibiotic delivery method improve health outcomes?
- Radiation shield provides greater protection to staff
- Using AI to identify aspiration in children with feeding disorders
- New online platform helping determine causes of delirium
- Transforming consumer and community involvement in research
- HBI engineers modelling patient-focussed care
- Improving pressure injury management in palliative care
- Stoma study shows importance of exercise to avoid complications
- Improving the menopause journey for women in the workplace
- Research study highlights complexities of ICU environment
- More growth in nursing research at Redcliffe
- The Queensland Aphasia Research Centre recognised
Improving pressure injury management in palliative care patients
For acute palliative care patients, their critical condition and progressing illness make them vulnerable to hospital-acquired complications such as pressure injury.

Saroeun Ven is undertaking first ever research to investigate hospital-acquired pressure injury prevention in acute palliative care
Pressure injuries cause patients physical and psychological distress, and can result in prolonged healing especially in such a medically vulnerable group. Pressure injuries are predominately preventable and are considered a safety and quality priority for hospitals.
The incidence rate for hospitalised palliative care patients has been reported to be higher (11.3%) than the incidence rate for all other hospitalised patients combined (3% to 5.4%). However, the exact number of pressure injury incidence for acute palliative care patients versus end-of-life palliative care patients is not known. This is mainly because palliative care patients are not clearly defined in research.
Nurse researcher at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) Saroeun Ven is exploring the development of an appropriate pressure injury risk assessment tool for use in acute palliative care patients, focusing on the identification of appropriate pressure injury preventive interventions matched to the assessed pressure injury level of risk.
Saroeun’s research is the first of its kind to look at hospital-acquired pressure injury prevention in acute palliative care, an area that has been largely under researched due to the changing nature of palliative care.
“Acute palliative care patients are vulnerable to pressure injury due to several risk factors including immobility, alternated sensory perception, and nutritional status, all of which influence their susceptibility and tolerance to pressure and shear forces,” Saroeun said.
“Disease progression and development of several comorbidities in acute palliative care patients can also lead to an increased risk of pressure injury.
“For acute palliative care patients, pressure injury may lead to further medical complications, increase hospital length of stay and, in severe cases, hasten death.
“Generally, the goal of care for acute palliative care patients on admission is to improve their quality of life and avoid aggravating their current medical condition. Therefore, hospital-acquired pressure injury prevention is a priority.”
Saroeun said that the importance of developing an appropriate pressure injury risk assessment tool is particularly relevant due to changes in acute palliative care models.
“Traditional models of palliative care primarily focus on patients nearing end of life,” she said.
“Modern palliative care now incorporates patients in the early stage of a their disease and who can be cared for at home with support and input from a specialist palliative care team.
“The needs of acute palliative care patients can vary significantly and we need to understand how these clinical differences can impact pressure injury management and prevention. Having an appropriate risk assessment tool that considers the individual clinical stages and needs of acute palliative care patients will hopefully allow us to improve patient outcomes and clinical practice.
“Our aim is to reduce complications such as pain, infection, psychological distress and functional recovery for acute palliative care patients.”
Saroeun’s research is supported by The Common Good, an initiative of TPCH Foundation.