2 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 9
W
hen you rewrite your poli-
cy on reducing pressure
injuries, you then need to
get the right pressure redistributing
devices to implement the policy. We
invited vendors of positioning prod-
ucts to send us the evidence-based
data that supports their products' effi-
cacy.
Once we trimmed the list of prod-
ucts down to 5, we invited those com-
panies to a 2-day vendor fair, to come
on site with a clinical expert and tell
us why we should invest in their prod-
uct to reduce pressure injuries on our
patients. This provided a venue for
frontline OR staff and physicians to see the products and ask ques-
tions. Cost was the last thing we considered. The most important
thing to us was the evidence showing the efficacy of the patient posi-
tioning devices.
We ended up eliminating foam — foam doesn't have any pressure
redistribution properties — and chose to go with viscoelastic gel pads
and positioners.
Amos Schonrock, MAN, RN, CSSM, CNOR, PHN
University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City, Iowa
amosorrn@yahoo.com
PRESSURE INJURY PREVENTION
We Switched From Foam to Gel Pads
• NO PRESSURE Staff at the University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics look at fluidized-pressurized
devices and 5-layer silicone foam dressing during a
vendor fair.
University
of
Iowa
Hospitals
and
Clinics
