Patients are repositioned frequently and skin is inspected to monitor for any signs of skin breakdown. Critically ill patients have many reasons for skin problems, including: immobility, low blood flow to the tissue, use of drugs that decrease blood flow to the skin, poor nutrition, edema, moisture (sweating, draining wounds or incontinence), surgery or trauma, rashes, medication and infection.
Special bed surfaces are used to reduce the risk for pressure and to help drain moisure. Some beds that are used rotate from side to side to help change the pressure on the skin surface and improve lung expansion.
Unless there is a reason why the head of bed cannot be elevated, the backrest of the bed is kept elevated to reduce the chance for pneumonia. Physiotherapists will assess and treat patients in CCTC to promote clearance of secretions from the lung and to help the patient to rehabilitate.
