Recognizing the feet as being at risk from pressure damage.

This article reports the findings of a survey and an audit undertaken to investigate the provision of foot support in a university teaching hospital. Phase I surveyed strategies employed to support feet and phase II audited the use of the Repose Foot Protector, manufactured by Frontier Therapeutics, specifically designed to provide pressure support for the feet. Patients with reduced mobility, nursed out of bed in a chair, have been highlighted as a group potentially at risk of tissue damage to the heels. This survey of current strategies employed to support feet included 289 patients. Patients included were from both hospital and community settings. The survey reported a lack of specialist equipment for the heels of patients with reduced mobility sitting in a chair. Only 67 (23.2%) patients were allocated foot support (typically a stool, with or without a pillow) to use while seated out of bed in a chair. The audit of requests for a new device to protect feet included 100 patients. The main reasons for requesting this device included pressure relief (81 occasions), to treat 'foot drop' (32 occasions) and in promoting comfort (31 occasions). There was a significant improvement in the skin condition of the heels and comfort (P<0.0001) from study entry to exit. This audit indicated a high level of both staff and patient satisfaction.