A specially designed foam mattress replacement reduced pressure ulcers in nursing home residents
Objective
To compare a foam mattress overlay with a foam mattress replacement for reducing pressure ulcers in newly admitted nursing home residents.
Design
Randomised controlled trial.
Setting
A 250 bed teaching nursing home in Nebraska, USA.
Patients
492 patients who were newly admitted were screened and 40 patients (mean age 77 y, age range 22–98 y, 55% women) were enrolled. Inclusion criteria were expected stay ≥10 days, absence of pressure ulcers, and being at risk of pressure ulcer development defined as a Braden Scale score <18 with a subscale score of <3 in sensory perception (limited ability to feel or report pain), mobility (able to make only slight changes in position), or activity levels (chairbound or unable to walk). Follow up was complete.
Intervention
Patients in both groups received standard care. 20 patients were allocated to the Iris 3000 mattress …
