title: The provision of therapy mattresses for pressure ulcer prevention.
abstract: Preventing pressure ulcers is complex and involves skin care, the provision of therapy mattresses, repositioning, the management of incontinence and adequate nutritional support. This article describes a model of therapy mattress provision that is based on non-powered products. Evaluating the efficiency of this model is challenging, due to the complexities of care, but Safety Thermometer data and incidents reports offer reassurance that non-powered therapy mattresses can provide adequate pressure ulcer prevention. Therapy mattress provision is only one of the five interventions and these are described in details to give readers a fuller picture of the model used at the author's trust.
authors.affiliation: Nurse Consultant (Tissue Viability), Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
authors.forename: Fania
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pagnamenta
mesh_terms: D001513:Beds; D006801:Humans; D018529:Nutritional Support; D056888:Patient Positioning; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017592:Skin Care; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Complex intervention; Incontinence; Non-powered therapy mattresses; Prevention; Repositioning; Skin care