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Pressure area care in infants and children: Nimbus Paediatric System
Insights
Children in intensive care face a higher risk of pressure ulcers. New specialized support surfaces, like the Paediatric Nimbus System, are needed to prevent these injuries in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nursing
- Critical Care Medicine
- Wound Prevention
Background:
- Improved survival rates in critically and chronically ill children present new nursing challenges.
- Children in intensive care environments are at increased risk of pressure ulcer development.
- Current pressure ulcer risk assessment tools lack sufficient research evidence for pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on pressure ulcer prevention in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the efficacy of the new Paediatric Nimbus System for pressure relief in children.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on pediatric pressure ulceration and pressure relief devices.
- Evaluation of the Paediatric Nimbus System at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh.
Main Results:
- The pressure relief needs of pediatric patients differ significantly from adults.
- Areas at highest risk in children under 36 months include the ears and occiput.
- Limited availability of specialized pressure-redistributing devices for pediatric use.
Conclusions:
- Clinical judgment and skill are essential for preventing and managing pressure ulcers in children.
- Further research is needed to develop and validate effective pressure ulcer risk assessment tools for pediatric patients.
- The Paediatric Nimbus System shows potential for addressing the unique pressure relief needs of pediatric patients.
Abstract:
Survival rates in both critically and chronically ill infants and children have improved dramatically in recent years and new challenges exist in the nursing care given to these patients. Among these is the increased risk of pressure ulcer development. Children in intensive care environments are especially at risk. Prevention and management of pressure ulceration in the paediatric population requires clinical judgement and skill. The use of pressure ulcer risk assessment tools can assist in this process; however, to date, there is a lack of research evidence and further studies are needed. The pressure relief requirements of the paediatric patient are significantly different to those of the adult patient. In children under the age of 36 months, the ears and occiput are the areas most at risk of pressure injury as a result of the fact that this area is proportionately the largest and heaviest bony prominence. Despite the abundance of specialist pressure redistributing devices for adults, there is little available specifically for the paediatric patient. This article describes a review of the literature on these subject areas and follows with a short report of the evaluation of the new Paediatric Nimbus System undertaken at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.