Efficacy of Water Mattress for the Treatment and Prevention of Pressure Ulcers

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to compare the healing and prevention of pressure ulcers between multi-zoned surface water mattress and alternated air mattress. The samples were 120 patients with pressure ulcer requiring self-wound care at home during March 2014 – March 2015. The patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups, 60 each: the experimental group who used water mattress and the control group who used air mattress. Four main research tools were utilized in the study: (1) personal data form (2) pressure ulcer status tool (3) Braden scale for predicting pressure ulcer risk, and (4) question naire for satisfaction assessment of experimental group and their care givers. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation and T-test. It was found that the experimental group had significantly higher rate of wound healing than those of the control group (p<0.01). Also, the experimental group had lower incidents of new pressure ulcers than the control group (p<0.01). The results showed that water mattress was effective to promote wound healing as well as decrease the new ulcer risk. In addition, patients and care givers were highly satisfied with the use of the water mattress. Thus, water mattress should be promoted for home care of chronic patients at risk of pressure ulcer.