BACKGROUND: Prophylactic dressings for pressure injury (PI) prevention have been investigated in a range of hospital settings, but there is limited evidence supporting their use in long-term acute care (LTAC) hospitals. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patient and nurse perceptions of incorporating a bordered silicone superabsorbent polymer (SAP) dressing into an LTAC PI prevention protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This pilot study included 50 adult patients at risk for sacral PIs, with intervention and data collection occurring between January 2024 and April 2025. Dressings were applied to the sacrum, with assessments at least daily and dressing changes no less than every 7 days. Patient- and nurse-reported outcomes (primary outcomes) included comfort, satisfaction, and usability indices. Secondary outcomes included PI incidence, adverse events, and dressing utilization. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 15 days, with a median of 6 dressings used per patient. Patients reported minimal discomfort, and approximately 90% rated comfort and satisfaction as good-to-excellent. Nursing staff also reported high usability. No PIs or device-related serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION: The bordered silicone SAP dressing was well-tolerated by patients and nursing staff within an LTAC PI prevention protocol. These findings support its consideration for integration into prevention protocols. Further research is needed to evaluate comparative PI reduction and adverse events.
Godfrey et al. (2026) studied this question.