Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Management in Critical Care
The primary aim of this service evaluation was to determine the impact of an innovative powered, PAC support surface (the OSKA Series5 mattress system) on the prevention and management of pressure ulcers for patients within a Critical Care Unit (CCU).
The secondary objective of this work was to determine user views on the mattress system to ensure staff were satisfied with the products performance.
Changing practice to improve outcomes and reduce spend
The aim of this case study is to report how a comprehensive care plan, including use of an innovative lateral tilt support surface, can assist pressure ulcer healing and improve quality of life for a spinal injury patient with significant pressure damage and complex pain management requirements.
Changing practice to improve outcomes and reduce spend
To reduce PU incidence the Tissue Viability and CCU teams wanted to optimise patients’ pressure area care provision, immediately, upon admission to the unit and eliminate delays in delivering effective pressure area care. To achieve this, the teams needed to identify a support surface that could manage the PAC requirements of CCU patients, even those classified as the most dependent, and at the highest risk of pressure ulceration i.e. those that would historically require an alternating pressure air mattress.
Reducing Pressure Ulcer Incidence in a Critical Care Unit
The aim for Tissue Viability and CCU was to reduce pressure ulcer incidence (harm) by implementing a change in practice on the unit.
The goal was to eliminate delays in support surface provision by adopting a single support surface strategy, where a single mattress could deliver optimal pressure area care for all patients from the point of CCU admission, irrespective of PU risk level and any urgent, life preserving care required.
