title: Evaluating an alternating mattress on an elderly rehabilitation ward.
abstract: Pressure ulcer prevention is a primary requirement for the NHS. Robust nursing procedures and the provision of pressure-relieving equipment is vital in meeting this requirement. However, the Department of Health also regards making considerable financial savings as a fundamental requirement. There is a firm clinical consensus among national and international bodies that patients at a high risk of developing pressure ulcers, or with existing tissue damage, should be cared for on an alternating (pressure-relieving) mattress system. This evaluation process looks at the performance of the lower cost Air-Flo(®) 8 Acute alternating (pressure-relieving) mattress system to see if it is effective in meeting the needs of patients. The outcomes suggest that when combined with a pressure ulcer management plan and turning schedule the Air-Flo(®) 8 Acute performed well, giving an option to continue to care for high-risk patients with an empirically proven effective therapy, while making considerable financial savings.
authors.affiliation: Lead Nurse, Tissue Viability, Whiston Hospital, St Helens and Knowlsey Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gleeson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001513:Beds; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Alternating; Pathway costs; Pressure care; Prevention