This study was done to identify the time interval to pressure ulcer and to determine the optimal time interval for position change depending on pressure ulcer risk in patients using foam mattress in intensive care units.

The Braden scale score, occurrence of pressure ulcers and position change intervals were assessed with 56 patients admitted to an intensive care unit from April to November, 2011. The time to pressure ulcer occurrence by Braden scale risk group was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log rank test. Then, the optimal time interval for position change was calculated with ROC curve.

The median time to pressure ulcer occurrence was 5 hours at mild or moderate risk, 3.5 hours at high risk and 3 hours at very high risk on the Braden scale. The optimal time interval for position change was 3 hours at mild and moderate risk, 2 hours at high and very high risk of Braden scale.

When foam mattresses are used a slight extension of the time interval for position change can be considered for the patients with mild or moderate pressure ulcer risk but not for patients with high or very high pressure ulcer risk by Braden scale.