The Effect of Positioning Duration on Pressure Injury Risk in Intensive Care Patients

Pressure injuries, considered an indicator of quality of care, remain a significant concern today. They are a health problem that reduces the patient's quality of life, complicates the treatment process, and significantly increases costs. Immobility is one of the main risk factors for pressure injury development. In healthy individuals, discomfort occurs in an area subjected to pressure for a long enough period to cause ischemia, and the person changes their position via the afferent sensorimotor feedback system. Fewer than 20 movements per night significantly increase the risk of ulcer development. The factor causing ulcer formation is the inability of the individual to relieve the pressure applied to the tissue. Patients with limited mobility cannot change their body position on their own, and tissue perfusion is impaired in pressure-exposed areas, facilitating ulcer formation. Both the intensity and duration of pressure affect the effect. High pressure causes pressure to build up quickly, while the longer the pressure, the greater the risk of pressure buildup. In individuals at high risk of pressure injuries, frequent position changes are a primary policy for preventing pressure injuries. Experimental studies show that irreversible ischemia occurs when pressure is applied continuously for two hours or longer. The best method for reducing pressure in patients is repositioning. The literature indicates that while pressure injuries cannot be completely prevented, their incidence can be significantly reduced through evidence-based practices, particularly through assessment of at-risk patients, appropriate early nursing interventions, and preventive measures. Advances in the early detection of pressure injuries have been reported in the literature and primarily involve measuring inflammatory markers in anatomical regions to capture the first signs of tissue damage.