"Breathable" air bed mattress pads?

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

Does your hospital use any kind of special breathable mattress pads when the patient is on an air bed? I find that we go to all the trouble of ordering and paying for the beds but then they are covered with sheets/pads and too much linen, therby, defeating the purpose.

I am trying to find some sort of evidence-based journal articles as to why these would be better. I know my fellow nurses will come to my rescue. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks,

General

[casi, ASN, RN]

We use a flat sheet and if needed a maxiflow breathable underpad.

[Mommy&RN, BSN, RN]

When we use a specialty air mattress, there are no sheets on the mattress, and we do use a special breathable pad.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

Also: Are these special pads strong enough to pull the patient up or do you rely on a sheet with the pad?

[Mommy&RN, BSN, RN]

No they are not strong enough to move a patient. We are "supposed" to put the draw sheet under then take it out.

[summerrose_10]

Our facility uses a couple different airmatresses. The prim-aire, we do put sheets and a cloth washable chux on them.

The air overlays- our WOCN advised us to only use the "cloth-like" chux on them. These are different then the ones that tear with minimal tension. These feel like cloth, but they are a woven(breathable) disposable chux. We can easily move the patient up in the beds with them.

Our WOCN said your defeating the purpose of the airoverlay the more linen/chux you put between the pt. and the mattress. Makes sense.

That being said, despite the teaching to new/old staff, I constantly find sheets/cloth chux under the patients while on these beds.

Great post:up:- looking forward to reading any/all evidence base articles.

[Cardiolyte]

we use "blue" disposable chux

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

We had quilted cotton washable underpads. I didn't believe it that they were air flowable, but the salesman had a patch of down that poofed in the air when put on the bed so I guess they were. And they were strong enough to pull with.

[JulieCVICURN, BSN, RN]

We use driflow pads, which are basically like strong chux. Because the beds are fairly slippery, they usually hold up just fine for boosting and moving the patient.

I'm glad this question was posted, because we have this debate at work all the time. Really, the company needs to do an inservice. It also kills me when people put hovermatts under patients on these beds. Seriously? Total waste of money.

[General E. Speaking, RN, RN]

any other comments?

Thanks:)