Pressure Injury Prevention & Skin Integrity

Pressure injuries develop when tissue is compressed against a surface (often over a bony prominence — sacrum, heels, hips, occiput) for long enough to compromise blood flow. Prevention is far higher-yield than treatment on the exam: reposition at least every 2 hours, keep skin clean and moderately moisturized (not overly dry or overly wet from incontinence), use pressure-redistributing surfaces for high-risk patients, and avoid dragging a patient across sheets (shear force), which damages tissue even without direct pressure.