Pressure Injury Prevention

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Strategies to Reduce Patient Pressure Injuries

Pressure injuries are a significant concern in healthcare, affecting approximately 15% to 25% of patients in acute care settings. With an incidence rate of 8% to 12% in hospitals, these injuries pose not only health risks but also substantial economic burdens, with treatment costs ranging from $20,900 to $151,700 depending on severity.1,2 Key risk factors include immobility, poor nutrition, advanced age, and chronic conditions such as diabetes. However, implementing effective prevention strategies can reduce the occurrence of pressure injuries by up to 42%. Addressing this issue is crucial for enhancing patient outcomes and minimizing healthcare costs.3,4

  • Key Component in Pressure Injury Prevention – Preventing pressure injuries is essential for quality patient care. Tools like wedges, air-assisted technology, and breathable medical devices play a crucial role in achieving these prevention goals while ensuring patient comfort. We collaborated with wound care nurses nationwide to identify the most effective materials and devices that enhance patient outcomes.
  • Easing Turning and Repositioning – Tools like wedges, air-assisted transfer devices, and air-assisted turning devices provide dual benefits. They not only aid in preventing pressure injuries but also enhance caregiver safety and ease of use, ensuring a more efficient and effective care experience. These tools help facilities drive compliance to q2h protocol by eliminating manual handling for turning and positioning patients, as well as improved access to the patient’s back and sacrum for wound care and assessment.

  • Materials Supporting and Maintaining Healthy Skin – Additional considerations in prevention of pressure injury is material choice. When choosing devices that are left under patients, both breathability and moisture wicking components should be considered. Our industry-leading testing shows that these highly breathable products reduce friction and shear during transfers and positioning, redistribute pressure, and assist with maintaining an ideal microclimate – all while protecting staff who provide all-day care that includes transfers, turning for hygiene and wound care, lifting and positioning.

Future Implications

The future of pressure injury prevention in wound care is poised for significant advancements through technology and patient-centered practices. Innovations such as smart mattresses with real-time monitoring will enable proactive interventions, while education for healthcare professionals and patients will enhance understanding of risk factors and effective prevention strategies. Additionally, developments in breathable, moisture-wicking materials will improve comfort and skin integrity.

1.National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP). (2022). “Pressure Injury Prevalence and Incidence.” Available at: NPIAP Prevalence Data.
2.European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP). (2020). “Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guidelines.” Available at: EPUAP Guidelines.
3.Dyer, E. et al. (2021). “Economic Burden of Pressure Injuries in the United States: A Review of the Literature.” Advances in Skin & Wound Care, 34(5), 1-7.
4.NICE Guidelines. (2022). “Pressure Ulcers: Prevention and Management.” National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Available at: NICE Guidelines.