• Melissa Jackson, Teresa McKenney, Jennifer Drumm, Brian Merrick, Tamara LeMaster, and Catherine VanGilder.
• Saint Joseph Health System, Lexington, Kentucky, KY, USA. mjackson@integratedcare.com
• Crit Care Nurse. 2011 Aug 1;31(4):44-53.

BackgroundLittle has been published about how to prevent pressure ulcers in severely debilitated, immobile patients in intensive care units.ObjectiveTo present a possible prevention strategy for postoperative cardiovascular surgery patients at high risk for development of pressure ulcers.MethodsStaff chose to implement air fluidized therapy beds, which provide maximal immersion and envelopment as a measure for preventing pressure ulcers in patients who (1) required vasopressors for at least 24 hours and (2) required mechanical ventilation for at least 24 hours postoperatively.ResultsOnly 1 of 27 patients had a pressure ulcer develop while on the air fluidized therapy bed (February 2008 through August 2008), and that ulcer was only a stage I ulcer, compared with 40 ulcers in 25 patients before the intervention.ConclusionsPatients spent a mean of 7.9 days on the mattress, and the cost of bed rental was approximately $18000, which was similar to the cost of treatment of 1 pressure ulcer in stage III or IV (about $40000) and was considered cost-effective.

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