6 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0
T
he elderly woman left your facility with a tiny incision in
her back and a gaping wound on her chin — one the
expected scar of spine surgery, the other the unwelcomed
scab of a pressure ulcer. Your OR team could have avoided
this gruesome outcome had they followed the 5 guidelines
in "The Standardized Pressure Injury Prevention Protocol"
(osmag.net/upWE4W) I co-authored:
1. Pad the patient.
The No. 1 way to prevent pressure injuries
is to apply foam dressings or gel cushions and pads to where patients
Joyce Black, PhD, RN, FAAN | Omaha, Neb.
Pressure Ulcers: Surgery's Sore Subject
Your OR team can prevent pressure injuries by following 5 guidelines.
• PRONE TO INJURY Patients who are face down for spine and other prone position surgeries are at risk for chin ulcers and
other pressure injuries.
University
of
Nebraska
Medical
Center