Are bedsores preventable?

Yes: Prevention requires close monitoring for correct positioning of patient & vigilant use of proper pressure support surfaces for the bed, chair, & heels of the patient at risk. Unfortunately, not all brands of specialty made support surfaces provide adequate pressure relief & what works best for one person might not work for someone else.

Yes: Strategies: repositioning in bed and wheelchair, appropriate diet and hydration, great skin care, stay as active as possible, and quit smoking. Report to your doctor if you see any abnormal signs.

Yes: Most, but not all, are preventable. Even when proper pressure relief mattresses and seat cushions are used along with frequent turning, patients with multiple organ failure ( heart, kidney, liver for example) can develop skin failure. This condition cause skin ulcers that are not preventable. The body uses blood from skin to help more critical organs-brain and heart- and the skin will breakdown.

Yes and no. : For the most part as long as a patient turns or is turned every hour or two they can be avoided. But there are certain patients ( morbidly obese, malnourished, paralyzed etc ) that are at very high risk of bedsores even with turning. Special mattresses, padding etc can help but there are some patients where it is almost impossible. It to develop bedsores