title: Softform Premier Active mattress: a novel step-up/step-down approach.
abstract: In the UK it is estimated that as many as 412,000 patients who are already ill will develop pressure ulcers (Bennett et al, 2004), which are an unnecessary and expensive complication to treat (Hitch, 1995). One way to try and reduce these risks is by investing in suitable mattresses. The author's investigations into existing mattress stock in the years 1996-97 illustrated the inadequacy of the NHS standard mattress (Santy, 1995; Fox, 1997). Investigators (e.g. Rithalia, 1996) were recognizing the inadequacy of the pink marbled standard NHS foam mattress for pressure reduction (Medical Device Directorate, 1993; Dunford, 1994) which included reports necessary to help develop guidelines in pressure ulcer prevention and management (Coull, 2004), as well as make value-for-money recommendations about product purchases (Fletcher et al, 1994; Value For Money Update, 1994; Cullum et al, 1995).
authors.affiliation: Pressure Ulcer Prevention/Management and Wound Care, Clinical & Equipment Resource Centre, Heart of England NHS Trust, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green East.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D000465:Algorithms; D001513:Beds / Q000592:standards*; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom