What is the best way to prevent pressure ulcers?

The best way to prevent pressure ulcers involves regularly repositioning patients and ensuring skin hygiene. This is fundamental to maintaining skin integrity and circulation, especially for individuals who may be immobile or have limited movement.

Regular repositioning helps to relieve pressure on bony prominences where pressure ulcers are most likely to occur, such as elbows, heels, and sacral areas. By changing a patient’s position every two hours or more frequently, blood flow can be restored to these areas, reducing the risk of tissue damage.

In addition, maintaining proper skin hygiene is crucial as it helps to prevent moisture buildup and skin breakdown, which can contribute to ulcer formation. Clean, dry skin is less susceptible to friction and shear forces that can lead to pressure ulcers.

While increasing patient fluid intake is important for overall health and can support skin integrity, it does not directly address the mechanical factors that cause pressure ulcers. Using expensive creams may provide some protective benefits, but without proactive repositioning and hygiene practices, these creams alone cannot effectively prevent pressure ulcers. Detaching medical devices may not be feasible or beneficial in many cases, as they are often necessary for patient care and can still be managed without compromising skin integrity through proper care and monitoring.