Pressure sore formation in the operating theatre: 1.

While theatre nurses strive to master increasingly sophisticated equipment and techniques they must also endeavour to ensure that the quality of fundamental nursing care has positive outcomes for the patient. According to Land (1995), pressure area care is such a fundamental nursing activity that many health professionals do not recognize the importance of keeping abreast of new developments. A review of the literature concerning pressure sore formation suggests that, far from being a ward-based problem, all surgical patients experience a critical period during which they are most susceptible to pressure injury--the time spent on the operating table. This article, the first of two parts, outlines the pathophysiology of pressure sores and the contributory factors present within the operating theatre. The second part suggests nursing interventions to reduce the incidence of pressure sore formation during the perioperative phase.