Pressure Ulcer Prevention: a Turn and Positioning System Combined With Incontinence Care and Tailored/Standard Repositioning

Pressure Ulcer Prevention: a Turn and Positioning System Combined With Incontinence Care and Tailored/Standard Repositioning

A Turn and Positioning System and Standardized Incontinence Care Combined With Tailored Repositioning Versus a Standard Repositioning Protocol for Pressure Ulcer Prevention: A Multicenter Prospective Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial and Health Economical Analysis in a Hospital Setting

The prevalence of pressure ulcer in hospitals is 7,3% - 23%. The primary etiological factors are pressure or pressure combined with shear. Prevention is very important and comprises: preventive skin care including cleansing and protecting the skin from exposure to moisture, the systematic repositioning of the patient, the offloading of the heels from the surface of the bed, the use of adequate bed support surfaces and an adequate nutritional status. The development and implementation of a risk based prevention plan for individuals identified as being at risk is strongly recommended. Limited compliance exists towards pressure ulcer preventive interventions. 25,5% of the patients at risk receive fully adequate prevention in bed. The reposition frequence is adequate in 55% of patients at risk. There is a lack of rigorously performed research addressing the effectiveness of devices or risk based protocols to improve compliance. Health care budgets are limited, priorities should be set in the allocation of health care resources. The primary aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the turn and position system (Prevalon®Turn and Position System 2.0, SAGE) versus standard care to improve reposition frequence in patients at risk. The second aim is to compare the effectiveness of a tailored protocol versus standard care to improve reposition frequence in patients at risk. The third aim is to compare the effectiveness of standardized incontinence care versus standard care to improve the incidence of pressure ulcers and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Also a health economic evaluation will be performed. The study will be performed in hospital setting (university and general hospitals) in a random sample of 226 patients aged > 18 who are at risk of developing pressure ulcers. Patients will be recruited from three types of wards: intensive care units, geriatric wards and rehabilitation wards. Patients will be included in the study for a period of 8 days.

A protocol tailored to individual risk factors will be applied to patients at risk.Comfort Shield® barrier cream cloths will be used for incontinence care every morning and after each episode of incontinence. The Prevalon® Turn and Position System 2.0, SAGE will be used for turning and positioning patients at risk when laying in bed.

Instead of developing and using a tailored pressure ulcer prevention protocol, patients will receive standard care.Comfort Shield® barrier cream cloths will be used for incontinence care every morning and after each episode of incontinence. The Prevalon® Turn and Position System 2.0, SAGE will be used for turning and positioning patients at risk when laying in bed.

Instead of developing and using a tailored pressure ulcer prevention protocol, patients will receive standard care. Instead of using comfort Shield® barrier cream cloths, incontinence care will be given to patients using the standard procedure on the ward. Instead of using the turn and position system, patients will be turned according to the standard procedure on the ward.

The researcher wil collect and administer data about turning compliance and compliance with the protocol

Per patient the researcher will measure two times the turning angle in which the patient is positioned.

Per patient the researcher will investigate two times if the sacrum is free of pressure while the patient is positioned.

Questions on comfort and preferences of the TAP, comfort shield barrier cream cloths and tailored repositioning will be assessed. At baseline these questions will assess the traditional care.

Questions on comfort and tolerance of the TAP, comfort shield barrier cream cloths and repositioning will be assessed by the caregiver. At baseline these questions will assess the traditional care.

The following costs will be calculated to provide insight concerning cost-effectiveness: Objective time analysis of repositioning (by using a chronometer), Subjective time analysis of repositioning, Daily consumption of comfort shield barrier cream cloths and microclimate body pads

Inclusion Criteria: At risk of developing pressure ulcers (Braden score < 17) Maximum 24hours admitted on the ward at the time of inclusion Expected lenght of stay: 8 days Free of pressure ulcers category II, II, IV and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) category 2 at the start of the study Exclusion Criteria: - Patients with no active or supportive therapy

Beeckman D, Van Damme N, Schoonhoven L, Van Lancker A, Kottner J, Beele H, Gray M, Woodward S, Fader M, Van den Bussche K, Van Hecke A, De Meyer D, Verhaeghe S. Interventions for preventing and treating incontinence-associated dermatitis in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Nov 10;11(11):CD011627. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011627.pub2.

Beeckman D, Van Lancker A, Van Hecke A, Verhaeghe S. A systematic review and meta-analysis of incontinence-associated dermatitis, incontinence, and moisture as risk factors for pressure ulcer development. Res Nurs Health. 2014 Jun;37(3):204-18. doi: 10.1002/nur.21593. Epub 2014 Apr 3.

De Meyer D, Van Hecke A, Verhaeghe S, Beeckman D. PROTECT - Trial: A cluster RCT to study the effectiveness of a repositioning aid and tailored repositioning to increase repositioning compliance. J Adv Nurs. 2019 May;75(5):1085-1098. doi: 10.1111/jan.13932. Epub 2019 Jan 25.