Have you seen a case of decubitus ulcer? Most probably you haven't. Most people don't know what it is until a relative of theirs develops the ulcers. The knowledge seems reserved for medical students and personnel.
Decubitus ulcers or pressure sores develop when skin and muscles tissues break down in immobile patients due to the constant pressure on that specific part of the body from the patient's weight.
It is an extremely unpleasant condition. And it is extremely difficult to heal, usually requiring surgical procedures.
One of the mundane means of attempting to prevent it is by turning the patient at intervals. However this is a very unreliable method which fails more than 90% of the time. This is because any delay in the interval accumulates over time eventually resulting in formation of the ulcer, and patient relatives delay all the time, some even forget.
If the responsibility lies with nurses, then it is a certainty that the ulcer will develop given their impossible work load in Nigerian hospitals and their attitude to work in Nigeria (this applies to all medical personnel working in Nigeria)
There are methods of preventing these ulcers which are far more reliable.
One is the alternating pressure air mattress. This simple unit moves air through the mattress on different portions of the body at steady intervals. The pumped air lifts that part of the body, transferring pressure to other parts then subsequently does the same for other parts. Effectively, this prevents the accumulation of constant pressure on one part of the body required for the skin and muscle break down seen in pressure sores
The other is medical water mattress. This operates on a principle similar to alternating pressure air mattress but without the electricity and a pump. It is has the added advantage of being "sweatless" given that the resting temperature of water is lower than that of the body, therefore stopping sweating in the patient which is extremely important in pressure sore prevention
These products have a 99.99% prevention rate yet most patients who requre them have no idea that they exist. They also don't frequently get recommended because a lot of doctors do not know about them too. Hopefully this situation will change in the nearest future. Then this unpleasant condition can become a thing of the past
You can purchase alternating pressure air mattress and medical water mattress from www.everymedical.com.ng or WhatsApp 07038614025

Ok