Back to Basics: Preventing Perioperative Pressure Injuries

Pressure injury prevention is essential to patient safety in the perioperative setting. Perioperative nurses should be knowledgeable about the risk factors for pressure injury and the safety precautions that can be taken to prevent this injury from occurring. Perioperative nurses should be able to identify patients who are at high risk for developing a pressure injury. Perioperative patients are at risk for developing pressure injuries because they can experience intense or prolonged pressure during lengthy surgical procedures, may have increased pressure on bony prominences from positioning, are exposed to friction or shear during transfer to the OR bed and positioning, and often have significant comorbidities. This Back to Basics article examines the risk factors for pressure injuries in the perioperative patient population and discusses screening and prevention measures that can be implemented.