Pressure care products are an aid to care rather than a substitute for care, training of staff or carers on regular repositioning and awareness are just as important.
There are many different pressure relieving mattresses and they are used depending on the level of risk of pressure damage. Some are overlay mattresses (they rest on top of the existing mattress) and some are full replacement mattresses.
A major cause for concern in hospitals and nursing homes is the practice of mattress swapping to accommodate different needs. This is a serious matter especially when attempting to prevent hospital acquired infection and cross contamination.
In the UK there is a problem with overlay mattresses in that when they are used with bedrails they frequently compromise the safety of bedrails use as when they are placed on top of an existing mattress the space between the top of the overlay and the top of the bedrail is less than 22cm they are not legally compliant. This can lead to bed falls. To remedy this in some cases a decision has been made to use foam underlays of just 2" which vastly reduces the effectiveness of pressure prevention and may in some cases invalidate insurance cover.
Traditional deep cell air mattresses were designed to be used flat whereas most modern adjustable beds allow the patient to rest in a seated position. This can, with some deep cell air mattresses cause rubbing and pinching of the sacrum. Another problem with deep cell air mattresses is that some patients find the movement painful, for instance patients with hip fractures.
For help and advice on any of these issues please visit our website at www.squirrelmedical.com or contact the author.
