Take the load off by choosing the right support surface

Description: Nursing, Fall 2004 ACCORDING TO THE National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, most pressure ulcers are treatable and most are preventable-yet patients still die of pressure-ulcer-related complications. One way you can make a difference in your patient's care is by learning how support surfaces, such as mattress overlays, mattress replacements, and specialized beds, relieve or redistribute pressure on skin and prevent pressure ulcers from forming or worsening. To understand why support surfaces help, first consider the pathophysiology of pressure ulcer formation.