Pressure ulcer formation related to positioning in the OR increases length of hospital stay and hospital costs, but there is little evidence documenting how positioning devices used in the OR influence pressure ulcer development when examined with traditional risk factors. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to identify prevalence of and risk factors associated with pressure ulcer development among patients undergoing surgical procedures lasting longer than three hours. Participants included all adult same-day admit patients scheduled for a three-hour surgical procedure during an eight-month period (N = 258). Data were gathered preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively on pressure ulcer risk factors. Bivariate analyses indicated that the type of positioning (ie, heels elevated) (χ2 = 7.897, P = .048), OR bed surface (ie, foam table pad) (χ2 15.848, P = .000), skin assessment in the postanesthesia care unit (χ2 = 41.652, P = .000), and male gender (χ2 = 6.984, P = .030) were associated with pressure ulcer development. Logistic regression analyses indicated that use of foam pad (B = 2.691, P = .024) and a lower day-one Braden score (B = .244, P = .003) were predictive of pressure ulcers.

Retained items (eg, sponges, sharps) after surgical procedures are reportable errors that can result in patient harm or death and increased patient and health care system costs. Perioperative use of radiofrequency (RF) technology may decrease the number of retained sponges and reduce hospital costs. We sought to determine whether the use of RF technology may be associated with fewer retained sponges, improved patient outcomes, and decreased hospital costs. We completed a retrospective evaluation of incident reports before and after implementing the use of an RF system for retained surgical sponges. We found that using RF technology was associated with fewer retained sponges and improved outcomes at our facility. We also determined that mortality rates before and after RF technology implementation were similar, and we estimated that our hospital’s costs were reduced.