Bed sores are also calledpressure ulcers.
This means helping them move often as well as looking after their overall health.
Bed sores can develop quickly, often after only two or three hours of reduced blood supply.
Design Pics / Ron Nickel / Getty Images
How to Prevent Bed Sores
Pressure ulcers are painful.
This involves lifting and moving the person regularly.
confirm to ask for help with these tasks if you need it.
Plan onturning your loved oneevery two hours, alternating between their right and left sides and their back.
If they do call for you late at night, take that opportunity to turn them.
Use pillows to help position your loved one.
Pillows add comfort and can reduce pressure on bony areas.
Small adjustments in seating position are often effective enough at relieving pressure.
Keep a folded draw sheet underneath your loved one while they’re sitting to make moving them easier.
you could also try changing the degree of recline to redistribute body weight.
Special surfaces can also help reduce or relieve pressure.
These devices dont replace frequent repositioning.
Reduce Friction
Friction is the rubbing of skin on an external surface, usually bed sheets.
Friction to the most commonly affected areas can be reduced with protective devices.
Heel and elbow cradles are typically made of egg-crate material.
They are usually attached with Velcro.
Use a draw sheet to help you lift your loved one off the bed when you lift and reposition.
Many patients need to be semi-Fowler to help ease shortness of breath or prevent gastric reflux.
All patients need to be in an upright position to eat safely.
Shear injury can happen in chairs too.
Early Treatment
Check your loved one often for early signs of bed sores.
They willneed to be treatedbefore they develop into more serious sores.
Stage I bed sores on a light-skinned person look red.
On darker skin, they may look blue or purple.
They usually feel warm to the touch.
They cause a burning or itching sensation and may also feel sore.
If you find early signs of a bed sore, immediately relieve pressure on the area.
Consult your loved one’s healthcare provider for instructions on how to care for the sore.
For stage I sores, care usually begins with washing the area with a gentle soap and water.
Stage II pressure sores are open sores or blisters.
These will need to be cleaned with a saline solution to remove dead tissue.
Cover the sore with a dressing as instructed by your loved one’s healthcare provider.
This will help it heal and protect against infection.
Skin Care
Moisture from sweat, urine, or feces can be damaging to the skin.
Its important to maintain the skins integrity by managing the moisture.
Hospital gowns or other clothing that slips on and off easily can make this task easier.
Using several layers of sheets can also help.
If your loved one has urinary incontinence, they will need frequent changing of their adult diapers or pull-ups.
Check them at least every two hours and change them as soon as they become soiled.
Using skin barrier creams can help prevent damage from urine.
Its the same principle as preventing diaper rash in babies.
A Foley catheter can only be placed by a nurse with aphysiciansorder.
They will need to be cleaned and changed as soon as possible after every bowel movement.
It is also important to use a moisturizer to keep your loved one’s skin from drying out.
This can help make the skin less prone to damage.
Staying well-hydrated is another important way to improve the integrity of the skin.
Hydration supports blood flow and can help prevent sores or keep them from getting worse.
Aim to give your loved one around 30 to 35 ml of water per kg of body weight.
Choose the Right Sheets
The right kind of sheets are also important.
Studies have found that a breathable, silk-like fabric can help reduce the incidence of pressure sores.
Pain Relief
Making sure your loved one has adequate pain relief may also help.
Some people may avoid moving if it hurts to do so.
Pain relievers can help make a person who is bed-bound more willing to reposition themselves or be repositioned.
It can also help to confirm they are drinking enough fluids and getting the right nutrition.
Ferris A, Price A, Harding K.Pressure ulcers in patients receiving palliative care: A systematic review.Palliat Med.
2019;33(7):770-782. doi:10.1177/0269216319846023
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Bedsores.
National Library of Medicine.How to care for pressure sores.
2022;13(1):38-45.
