Wound-care guide · Patients and families
A caregiver guide to pressure injuries
Pressure injuries require wound treatment and a practical plan to reduce pressure, moisture and friction between visits.
Use the ordered support surface and skin protection
Report a wound that is deepening or changing
Daily care questions
Ask the treating clinician to make the daily plan specific.
- How often should the patient be repositioned?
- Which surfaces or cushions should be used?
- How should moisture and incontinence be managed?
- Who should be called for drainage, odor, fever or skin breakdown?
What to document
A simple record helps the care team see whether the wound and the pressure-relief plan are improving.
- Wound location and visible changes
- Time spent in bed, chair or wheelchair
- Pain, drainage, odor and surrounding redness
- Nutrition, hydration and ability to move
Prompt reviewA deepening wound, exposed tissue, spreading redness, fever, severe pain or sudden decline needs prompt clinical review.
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