By: Darrin Brooks, MS, PTA Director of Rehabilitation Solaris Senior Living, Naples, Florida
The Issue – Pressure Ulcers due to inappropriate seating
In a rehabilitative environment, improper sitting is the source of a slew of issues that lead to a bad quality of life, as well as medical complications and miseries for the client. Pressure injuries were reported at 9% of the residents at our institution. Furthermore, employees spend time everyday maintaining and monitoring equipment, resulting in a considerable amount of time spent on maintenance on a weekly basis, taking time away from patient care.
The Solution – Introducing Vicair Products
We presented Vicair products to multiple residents as the standard offering in an effort to save money on staff maintenance time, minimise the occurrence of pressure ulcers, and ultimately strengthen our institution’s reputation as a quality patient care institution. This appeared to be a dicey gamble at first, as I was investing about $300 per client, for a total annual commitment of $30,000. I was certain that the experiment would be successful based on my past experience with Vicair, but I couldn’t be certain until the data came in.
The Result – Quick Recover, prevention & time saving
Vicair wheelchair cushions seem to last a lot longer, which saves me time and money.
“After switching to a Vicair, residents who had developed a pressure spot on their regular cushion quickly healed.”
When I first showed the Vicair cushions to the nursing staff, they were immediately impressed by its comfort, pressure-relieving abilities, and adjustability. Residents who had acquired a pressure injury on their usual cushion swiftly recovered once they were moved to a Vicair, according to the nurse unit manager.
“It was clear right away that the Vicair cushions significantly sped up the healing process.”
We began an informal observational study of pressure sores with and without a Vicair cushion. The Vicair cushions rapidly became noticeable as having a significant impact on healing. We put all patients with pressure areas on a Vicair wheelchair cushion at that point, and we didn’t have to look any further to observe how much more successful the cushions are in the healing process. The number of residents suffering from pressure injuries has dropped from 9 percent to 1 percent. In every case, the patient appreciated the cushion’s comfort, and the therapist appreciated the option to adapt the cushions to the patient’s preferences.
Our financial situation improved once we switched to Vicair cushions. Despite the initial outlay, the nurse hourly rate, prescription costs, and treatment supply costs were decreased as a result of fewer pressure injuries. Now there are fewer injuries to attend to the nursing team can also spend more time on patient resident care.
Every administrator understands how much time, effort, and money a single acquired pressure injury contributes to a patient’s treatment. Not to mention the time and effort it takes to report an acquired pressure injury.
The Conclusion on Vicair wheelchair cushions
I’ve never seen how much difference one type of cushion can make on so many facets of patient and staff wellbeing in my 30+ years of expertise. I can’t say enough good things about Vicair cushions and all of their other items. They are a brand that I am pleased to have as a resource for my patients’ requirements. Beyond merely making a sale, I’ve personally witnessed their dedication to the patient’s well-being. They make my patients happy, and everyone is pleased when the patient is pleased.
“I cannot speak highly enough of Vicair cushions and all of their products.”
– Darrin Brooks, MS, Director of Rehabilitation