Does the hospital bed mattress prevent bedsores?
Bedsores (also called decubitus ulcers) are chronic open sores that develop in patients confined to bed or otherwise immobilized. They are caused by constant pressure of the person’s weight on the skin. They are usually located below a bone, such as the area of the buttocks above the tailbone or beneath the hips. The mattress alone does not prevent bedsores. Patients still need good nutrition and frequent turning. The ICU staff turns the patient if the patient is unable to turn effectively. In patients at high risk for bedsores, nurses often place another mattress, called an overlay, on top of the bed mattress. This helps avoid the development of bedsores. Even with the best of care and special beds/mattresses, patients may still develop bedsores. When does a patient need a bed that turns automatically? Automatically turning beds are useful under certain circumstances. The decision to use one of these specialty beds involves certain risks and benefits to the patient and should be left
