Antipressure beds

[sharann, BSN, RN]

In your opinions, what costs more? The prevention of pressure sores with use of special beds(matresses)and of course turning scedules etc...OR the cost of treating them? I wonder why we wait for a pressure wound to develop and THEN get that order for the CLinitron bed or matresses. It seems like any high risk pt should get one of these beds from the start. Or am I a nutcase?

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Sharann there is a ton of research suggesting that prevention is far more cost effective than cure. What you should be looking at are pressure area risk assessment tools such as the Norton Scale or one of the hudreds out there. Using a scale helps you to pinpoint which patients are the neediest.

[dmbfan]

What I find is that the patient either lays on an old mattress or as you stated gets the most expensive rental matteress available! There are much cheaper preventative and healing Alternating pressure mattresses that can give true pressure relief and prevent and heal wounds (from stage1-4) at a fraction of the cost. Getting number crunchers in the hospital to understand the need for this is another thing!

Sharann there is a ton of research suggesting that prevention is far more cost effective than cure. What you should be looking at are pressure area risk assessment tools such as the Norton Scale or one of the hudreds out there. Using a scale helps you to pinpoint which patients are the neediest.