Increasing frequency of critically ill patient turns is associated with a reduction in pressure injuries

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Pressure injuries are a significant problem for critically ill patients; they increase morbidity, cost, and duration of hospitalisation. Prolonged immobility is a major risk factor, but evidence guiding how frequently patients should be turned to prevent this complication is limited. We aimed to determine the impact of changing from 5-hourly to 3-hourly turns on pressure injury incidence in critically ill patients. DESIGN: We conducted a pre-post intervention evaluation study, comparing a 6-month period during which patient turns were 5-hourly (1 July 2015 - 31 December 2015) with a 6-month period during which turns were 3-hourly (1 February 2016 - 31 August 2016). These periods w..