JCN supplement
weight and Waterlow scores of
participants on admission.
Participants had an average
length of stay of 21 days (SD=17).
The total duration of time patients
spent on the mattress was
calculated by multiplying the mean
number of hours per day the patient
was recorded to have spent in bed
on admission and discharge, by
their length of stay. This ranged
from 26 hours to 1,560 hours
(mean=293 hours, SD=286). Sixty-
eight of the patients were known to
have used other forms of pressure
relief when seated, and information
regarding patient continence
and mobility (on admission) and
deterioration (on discharge) was
recorded (
Table 3
).
Reduction in the number and
category of pressure ulcers
A test was used to determine
whether the reduction in number
of pressure ulcers was statistically
significant, the one-tailed Wilcoxon
signed-rank test was used to
confirm this (Wilcoxon, 1945,
cited in Field, 2005). Fifty-eight
patients’ data were complete and
showed 64 pressure ulcers at the
beginning of their patient episodes.
The average number of pressure
Staff feedback
Promoting patient safety involves
staff being able to select and use
equipment safely and appropriately
(NICE, 2014). It also demands that
infection prevention and control
standards are observed to minimise
the risk of healthcare-associated
infections (DH, 2008). Mattresses
may become contaminated when
in use, however potential risk can
be significantly reduced if staff
are able to easily and correctly
ulcers for the 58 patients was 1.10
(SD=0.83) A statistically significant
reduction was found in the number
of pressure ulcers when comparing
participants before and after their
time on the mattress (n=58, z=-2.5,
p<0.01, r=-.232,
Figure 1
). There was
also a positive partial correlation
between the total duration of
hours on the bed and a reduction
in the number of pressure ulcers,
when controlling for variables on
admission (patient weight, age,
gender, Waterlow score, mobility
in and out of bed, continence),
and general health condition on
discharge (df=40, r=.347, p [one-
tailed] <0.05). Although three
pressure ulcers were seen to
deteriorate, these were associated
with end of life. Overall, a Wilcoxon
signed-rank test found a statistically
significant reduction in the amount
of tissue loss (n=55, z=-2.713,
p<0.01, r=-.234) and, although it
is not conventional to measure a
reduction in category, healing was
evident. Indeed, in the authors’
clinical opinion, were the patients
assessed at this stage, the pressure
ulcers would have been categorised
lower. This indicated that tissue
damage did not deteriorate further,
despite the patient population,
which was particularly vulnerable
due to increasing age (mean=82
years), immobility and having
a high Waterlow risk score
(mean=18).
Patient feedback
An important part of any service
provision is promoting positive
patient experience (DH, 2010).
Ninety-six percent of patients (n=92)
rated the mattress as ‘comfortable’
to some level, with only 4% (n=4)
rating it as ‘uncomfortable’ (
Figure
2
).
Figure 3
displays the results of
patients’ responses regarding the
noise of the pump.
Figure 1.
Number of pressure ulcers before and
after episodes of care on the mattress
(n=58).
0
20
40
60
80
64
50
Beginning of
patient episode
End of
patient episode
No. of pressure ulcers
Data collection point
2%
8%
90%
Noisy
Slightly noisy
Quiet or silent
4%
1%
61%
34%
Uncomfortable
Comfortable
Fairly comfortable
Very comfortable
Table 3:
Patient continence, mobility and general condition
Females (n) Males (n)
Total (n)
Incontinent of urine
13
11
24
Doubly incontinent
11
7
18
Patients who could not move unaided in the bed
18
8
26
Patients who could not mobilise unaided
45
33
78
Patients whose general health condition deteriorated
while in care
3
4
7
Figure 2.
Patients’ ratings of comfort (n=96).
Figure 3.
Patients’ reported noise of pump (n=98).
JCN
2014,Vol 28, No 5 (supplement)
5
