Pressure injuries: how the right patient skin care products can reduce skin breakdown

It’s difficult to accurately quantify the number of pressure injuries at any given healthcare facility—it depends on factors like geography and clinical setting. But prevalence has been reported globally as high as 72.5%.¹

No matter the variables, one thing is certain: pressure injuries are still a major cause of patient suffering and death. Plus, they’re expensive. Treatment of pressure injuries cost the healthcare industry billions of dollars a year.¹

When it comes to reducing the likelihood of pressure injuries, it’s important to keep skin healthy. The of system of skin care products skin care products can help.

You provide every patient with individualized skin care, but some general skin characteristics signal a weaker skin barrier. Be sure to recognize these risk factors, as they may contribute to the development of a pressure injury:²

Consider these gentle care practices to help manage vulnerable skin:

While cleansing, moisturizing and applying skin care lotions, take the time to assess your patient’s skin for any changes in the skin or areas at risk you hadn’t noticed before. That way, you can adjust your pressure injury prevention plan as needed, whether it’s with added support surfaces, dressings or other skin care products.

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Pressure injuries affect patients in every care setting, causing them pain and suffering, not to mention cost to the healthcare organization. Maintaining skin integrity with the right skin care routine and products is an essential part of any pressure injury prevention protocol.