Bed-making technique and its association with the development of bedsores.

Abstract

Introduction. Pressure ulcers, or bedsores, pose

a problem within healthcare institutions in Mexico.

Awareness of different factors that contribute to the

development of bedsores can help to avoid them

in the section of the hospital to which patients are

confined. Among these factors is the manner in

which beds are made. Objective. To demonstrate the

association between bed-making technique and the

development of pressure ulcers. Methodology. An

experimental, prospective, analytical, and relational

cross-study was carried out on one group using

the so-called “portfolio” bed-making technique and

on another (control group) using the institution’s

usual bed-making technique. All subjects were

inpatients at the internal medicine department of a

public hospital. The study was conducted over the

course of 19 days, and the variable was the bed-

making technique. The chi-squared test produced

an association with a significance ≤ 0.05. Results. Of

the 20 patients whose beds were made following the

usual technique, 14 suffered from pressure ulcers.

None of the patients whose beds were made following

the alternative “portfolio” technique suffered from

bedsores. Bedsores were most commonly located on

the pelvic limbs (64%). Conclusion. The “portfolio”

bed-making technique is more effective than the

classical technique in preventing the development of

bedsores, as the latter, involving knots, is associated

with pressure ulcers.