management by Sharon Maris, Director Global Medical Affairs for Pressure Injury Prevention Pressure injury prevention interventions are key to reducing the risk of developing painful, resource intensive and costly pressure injuries.

Healthcare settings face the challenge of managing an effective Infection Control protocol on a daily basis. Ensuring the safety of patients and staff at all times, in a range of different settings requires a robust process, where care and treatment can be delivered without the risk of infection due to poor hygiene standards.

According to a 2016 report by the WHO, globally there are 650 million people that are obese accounting for approx. 13% of the world’s adult population.

Reduced mobility is a significant risk factor for pressure injury development, international guidelines emphasise the need for regular turning and repositioning of patients to help prevent skin damage¹. While a pressure redistribution mattress

can provide an environment conducive to injury prevention and tissue repair. As such the guidelines recommend the need for additional features such as the ability to control moisture and temperature when selecting a support surface.

Empowering movement is fundamental to any patient rehabilitation programme and is a core principle in the prevention of pressure injury development. With the impact of the current pandemic, the focus on mobilising and rehabilitating patients earlier and often throughout the day has never been higher.