Science Basics: Pressure

Introduction

Pressure Ulcers

Measurement

Blood Pressure

Units

Boyle's Law

Activity

Assessment

Resources

Feedback

Pressure ulcers

Lets take the example of a patient laying in bed.

If the body was flat like a block of wood, the pressure against the surface of the skin would be the same at all points. However, the surface of the body is certainly not flat and some parts of the body, like the hollow of the back, are not in contact with the bed at all. This means that those areas that are in contact experience a much higher pressure than we might otherwise expect.

The pressure may be high enough to obstruct blood flow through capillaries and if the pressure in not relieved the results can be cell death and the formation of a wound called a pressure ulcer.