How Are Support Surfaces Used in Pressure Ulcer Care Within Nursing Home Settings Assessed? A Scoping Review

Abstract

The aim of this research was to synthesise evaluative research on support surfaces in pressure ulcer care in nursing homes, by examining how studies address effectiveness, efficiency, user satisfaction and context of use. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, six databases were used. Studies assessing support surfaces in nursing homes were included. Data extraction covered studies' characteristics, support surfaces evaluated and methodologies employed. Among the 68 included studies, 40 focused primarily on support surface evaluation, mainly assessing effectiveness or efficiency (n = 31, 78%) rather than context of use (n = 5, 12%) or user satisfaction (n = 4, 10%). Residents' perspectives were captured in 42.5% (n = 17) of studies and quality of life in 25% (n = 10), with one qualitative study identified. Mattresses predominated among the 188 support surfaces evaluated (47%, n = 88). Studies were concentrated among seven research teams (49%, n = 33), and industry funding was the most common source overall (37%, n = 25). Current research prioritises effectiveness and efficiency assessment over holistic usability assessment. The limited incorporation of residents' and professionals' experiences and quality of life outcomes reveals a gap between biomedical approaches and person-centred perspectives. Future research should place residents' and professionals' experiences at the centre of support surface evaluation to generate clinically relevant and ethically grounded evidence.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. International Wound Journal, 2026 · DOI ↗