Abstract
Although pressure ulcer prevention has received considerable attention in the literature since the 1960s, little has been published about the risk of pressure injury to patients undergoing procedures in diagnostic and interventional ancillary units such as radiology, renal dialysis, cardiac, and vascular procedure laboratories. In the only research study found in this population, the incidence of pressure injury in patients undergoing lengthy radiology procedures was 53.8%. Therefore, I reviewed the research literature in order to identify which specific factors are most likely to place persons undergoing ancillary procedures at risk for pressure injury. Sufficient evidence was found to implicate high interface pressures on ancillary support surfaces, shear incurred from patient movement and positioning, advanced age, severe neurologic impairment, anesthesia and sedation, fever, sepsis, and hypotension as risk factors for pressure injury while receiving services from interventional ancillary units.