ABSTRACT
The need for cleanliness, special surfaces, position changes, and a dedicated ward was identified in the mid-1800s as a way to prevent pressure injuries. Nightingale is credited for identifying the need for a system of care, unit organization, and the need to keep the statistics. In addition to the skin, pressure injury can be found on a mucous membrane. Mucus membrane pressure injuries are usually related to a medical device. Patient factors such as age, past medical history, nutrition and sensory and mobility issues increase the risk. The critical care admitting diagnosis can include organ failure, sepsis, trauma and other diagnoses with hemodynamic instability compounding the risk. Deep tissue injury is a significant and underappreciated risk for critical care patients. Injury can occur in the hours to days depending on the complexity of the patient diagnosis and the hemodynamic stability.
