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Down-Under Wool provides a selection of premium quality products designed to provide extra comfort and prevent pressure sores. All items are constructed using Australian Merino Sheepskin and have CSIRO stamps as proof that they meet medical standards. Australian Medical Sheepskin has been proven in two randomized controlled trials to be an effective means of preventing pressure ulcers among hospital patients; however, little information exists on its cost-efficiency in nursing home patients.
Pressure ulcers, also known as bedsores or decubitus ulcers, are open wounds on the skin caused by prolonged pressure to certain parts of the body and friction or shear. Pressure ulcers are especially prevalent among seniors and disabled or injured people who spend extended periods in bed or wheelchairs. Medical sheepskins australia can help prevent pressure ulcers through evenly distributing body weight while providing support and cushioning from springy wool fibers that distribute pressure across larger surfaces reducing friction or shear risks and keeping body temperatures balanced – all factors essential to healthy skin health!
Nurses have traditionally relied on sheepskin to reduce pressure sores in their patients. Sheepskin’s soft texture conforms to the shape of its users, helping reduce shear. Furthermore, its moisture wicking capabilities may prevent skin irritation while decreasing odor. Furthermore, cleaning and sanitizing sheepskin is simple.
Recent evidence demonstrates the Australian Sheepskin is effective in reducing incidences of Stage 1 and 2 pressure ulcers when used as a mattress overlay compared with standard nursing care. An open-label randomised controlled clinical trial examined how effective high performance Australian medical sheepskins are at preventing pressure ulcers among general hospital inpatients at low to moderate risk in Melbourne Australia – where this research took place.
The findings of this study revealed that using Australian Medical Sheepskin mattress overlay reduced pressure ulcer incidence by 58% – from 3.7 per 100 bed-days with standard nursing care, down to just 1.6 (an impressive 58% reduction). This finding is significant and marks the first time ever that a medical sheepskin has been demonstrated as significantly more effective than usual care.
Research was carried out at Royal Melbourne Hospital by healthcare professionals. A random assignment process assigned 441 hospital inpatients either an Australian medical sheepskin mattress overlay or standard nursing care. Results indicated that using an Australian Medical Sheepskin was shown to reduce risk of sacral pressure ulcers by 44% when compared with traditional care. Australian Medical Sheepskin group experienced lower new pressure ulcer rates compared to referent group. Unfortunately, it remains uncertain if these reductions would hold over time. Multiple factors were identified as having an effect on results, including age, principal medical diagnosis category, recent surgery within one month, presence of pressure ulcers at admission that were located elsewhere than on the sacrum, incontinence status and nutritional status.
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