Workshop: Support Surface Selection
– Demystifying Mattress Choice and Clinical Applications
Technology Park Function Centre, Bentley
Thursday, 22 April 2021
Inspired by the challenges clinicians encounter when faced with the need to prescribe a pressure care mattress for a client, this workshop was designed to demystify the complexities of choice by exploring the clinical features of products and understanding mattress criteria essential for effective pressure injury care.
Leading with our ‘enabling power of applied knowledge‘, the aim of this workshop was to provide clinicians with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to make intelligent pressure care mattress choices based on specific client need.
This workshop was facilitated by Unicare Health’s clinical educator and trainer, Annette Terranova, who has over 30 years of experience as a clinician and consultant within the healthcare industry. Annette is a highly sought after go-to person by therapists working in hospitals, aged care and disability for expert equipment advice and equipment solutions.
Annette started her workshop reviewing the role of support surfaces in pressure injury prevention and management.
She then went through a list of factors that clinicians should consider when selecting a support surface to meet an individual’s need for pressure injury care.
Using Care of Sweden‘s pressure mattress range, Annette talked about the clinical features of different support surfaces, comparing foam, air and hybrid mattress systems.
Pulling mattress covers back, Annette talked about the different components that make up a therapeutic surface and discussed how each of these components have a place in reducing shear, improving microclimate, assisting with patient transfers, encouraging immersion and envelopment, and more.
Annette drew examples from her experience in prescribing pressure care mattresses, highlighting features to look for in support surfaces to meet individual user needs such as the heel slope feature for those at risk of developing heel pressure injuries.
She also went through a list of environmental factors that clinicians need to think about when prescribing a pressure care mattress, such as the need for battery backup for those living remotely.
Annette talked about Care of Sweden’s new Curocell A4 and IQ mattress pumps and introduced new research and clinical results that demonstrates pulsating air mattress technology as a proven method of pressure care superior to traditional alternating modes.
She also used mattresses in the Curocell A4 and IQ range to show clinicians how innovations in pressure mattress technology has addressed the challenges of complex caregiver setup, manual handling tasks and user error.
Clinicians enjoyed an insightful time at this workshop, looking inside the covers and staying afterward to have an up close and personal experience with the range.
References to Pressure Care Mattresses by Care of Sweden discussed in this workshop can be found in this catalogue.
Thank you
Unicare Health would like to thank everyone who took the time to attend our Support Surface Selection workshop and for the excellent feedback received. We are proud to be your source of expert advice for pressure care solutions and trust that our training will impact the way you continue to prescribe equipment solutions to achieve better patient outcomes.
As industry leaders, we are thankful to be able to contribute towards building a capable generation of clinicians to work with us in our quest to improve patient care. As technologies are continuously being improved, ongoing education is the key to prescribing optimal equipment solutions for specific needs.
Care of Sweden‘s CuroCell A4 and IQ pressure care mattress ranges will be on display at the ATSA Independent Expo Perth on the 26th and 27th of May 2021. Visit us at the show to learn more about these pressure mattress systems setting global trends. See you there!
Related Articles
Comment on this post
Posted on 29 April 2021