What is a Pressure Sore (ulcer)?
A pressure sores is a localized area of cellular damage resulting from:

• Direct pressure: skin and other tissues are directly compressed between bone and another surface (bed, chair). Tissue damage will depend on intensity and duration of exposure to pressure.
• Shearing: tissues are wrenched in opposite directions, resulting in disruption or angulations of capillary blood vessels.
• Friction: skin rubs against another surface (sheet) causing epidermis to be stripped away.

Pressure Sores are also refferred to as Decubitus Ulcers or Bed Sores.

3 Easy Steps for choosing a mattress

Step 1: Complet the assessment questionnaire, and add up the score at the bottom.

Step 2: Find the matching score along the top of the table, then follow a vertical line on the product selector guide. This score will tell you the category of protection your require (Low, Medium or high protection)

Step 3: Choose a product that lies on or near the score lineyou have drawn.

• Air overlay mattresses
  • provide pressure relief and pressure reduction without having to reposition the patient.
  • are placed over a standard matress
    
    
• Foam based replacement mattresses
  • provide pressure reduction only, and require the patient to be reposinned at the specified intervals (ranging from every 2 hours -for low to medium risk mattresses, to every 4 hours for high risk mattresses).
  • are placed directly on the bed spring.
    
    
• Foam based overlay mattresses
  • provide pressure reduction only, and require the patient to be reposinned at the specified intervals (ranging from every 2 hours -for low to medium risk mattresses, to every 4 hours for high risk mattresses).
  • are placed over a standard matress

The skin wound protocol
The skin wound protocol covers all the key areas that need to be addressed if the patient already has a bed sore.

• Pressure Reduction
  
• Pressure Relief
  
• Incontinence Care
  
• Nutrition Consult
  
• Moisturize Skin
  
• Positioning
  
• Wound Care .