Exploring the effects of wound dressings and patient positioning on skin integrity in a pediatric burn facility.

Although literature on the subject is scant, in practice, pressure ulcers in the pediatric burn population remain a challenge. An interdisciplinary team at an urban pediatric burn institution treats a population (average age 8 years, range 1 month to 21 years) that includes children too young or unable to articulate pressure-related pain from dressings or positioning techniques. After pressure ulcer data collection procedures were instituted, it was observed that elastic bandages, wet operating room dressings, and positioning appeared to contribute to pressure ulcer occurrence.