595763 Disclosed is a pressure monitoring system (10) for providing a warning to a patient or caregiver that the patient should be moved to at least minimize soft tissue damage to the patient. The system (10) includes a pressure-sensitive pad assembly (14) adapted to be applied to a surface of the patient's body that is susceptible to damage from soft tissue pressure. The pressure sensitive pad assembly (14) generates electrical outputs corresponding to soft tissue pressure sensed at the surface of the patient's body. Also included are means for monitoring (26) the electrical outputs generated by the pressure-sensitive pad assembly (14). A counter associated with the monitoring means (26) generates a counter value that increases from an initial value while the soft tissue pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure level. The counter value is decreased toward the initial value while the soft tissue pressure does not exceed the predetermined pressure level. The counter value increases at a first ratio relative to actual elapsed time and the counter value decreases at a second ratio relative to actual elapsed time such that the second ratio is less than the first ratio. Also included are means (12) for continuously generating a visual warning while the counter value exceeds the initial value.
