Method and apparatus for mitigating the risk of pressure sores

An apparatus for reducing the risk of occurrence of decubitus ulcers in a patient at rest on a support surface, comprising:

• (a) a patient location sensor for determining at least approximately a location of the patient on the support surface;
• (b) a time circuit;
• (c) a microprocessor in electronic communication with said patient location sensor and said time circuit, said microprocessor at least for
• (c1) determining from said patient location sensor that the patient has moved,
• (c2) determining from said patient location sensor and said time circuit whether or not said patient move is a significant movement, wherein said significant movement is a patient movement to a new location that is maintained for a predetermined period of time,
• (c3) initiating a signal indicative of a state of the patient depending on whether or not said patient move is said significant movement;
• (d) an alarm in electronic communication with said microprocessor and responsive thereto, said alarm at least for responding to said signal indicative of a state of the patient to produce an alarm signal.

An apparatus for reducing the risk of occurrence of decubitus ulcers in a patient at rest on a support surface, wherein is provided a predetermined patient turn interval, comprising:

• (a) a patient location sensor for determining at least approximately a location of the patient on the support surface;
• (b) a time circuit;
• (c) a microprocessor in electronic communication with said patient location sensor and said time circuit, said microprocessor at least for
• (c1) determining from said patient location sensor that the patient has moved from a first position to a second position,
• (c2) determining from said patient location sensor and said time circuit whether or not said patient move to said second position is maintained for a period of time sufficient to reoxygenate patient tissues previously compressed when the patient was in said first position, thereby determining whether said move to said second position is a significant move,
• (c3) initiating a signal indicative of a state of the patient depending on whether or not said patient move is said significant movement;
• (d) an alarm in electronic communication with said microprocessor and responsive thereto, said alarm at least for responding to said signal indicative of a state of the patient to produce an alarm signal.

A method of promoting tissue reoxygenation in a patient at rest on a support surface wherein is provided a patient turn interval, comprising the steps of:

• (a) determining an initial location of the patient on the support surface;
• (b) continuously monitoring the location of the patient for a period of time at least as long as said patient turn interval;
• (c) if during said period of continuous monitoring the patient remains in said initial location for a period of time at least as long as said patient turn interval, generating an alarm signal at an end of said patient turn interval to notify a caregiver that the patient should be turned;
• (d) if during said period of continuous monitoring the patient moves to a new location, but does not maintain said move to a new location for a period of time long enough to reoxygenate body tissues that were compressed when the patient was in said initial location, generating an alarm signal at an end of said patient turn interval to notify a caregiver that the patient should be turned;
• and,
• (e) if during said period of continuous monitoring the patient moves to a new location, and the patient maintains said move to a new location for a period of time long enough to reoxygenate body tissues that were compressed when the patient was in said initial location, signaling to the caregiver that the patient does not need to be turned.