A system for monitoring an orientation of a patient's back to reduce a risk of the patient developing a pressure ulcer on a portion of the patient's body, the system comprising: a sensor including an accelerometer configured to measure an acceleration of the patient, a processor, and a first wireless transceiver, said sensor configured for placement on a portion of the patient's back at a location that is approximately at a center between shoulder blades in order to reduce an amount of false indications of orientation changes associated with movement of loose tissue on other portions of the patient's body, said sensor configured to output a signal responsive to the acceleration measured by the accelerometer when said sensor is placed on the portion of the patient's back, said outputted signal indicative of a possible change in an orientation of the patient's back; and a patient monitor comprising a signal processor, a memory device, a storage device, and a second wireless transceiver, said second wireless transceiver configured to receive said signal from said sensor when said sensor is positioned on the portion of the patient's back, said signal processor configured to process said signal indicative of the possible change in the orientation of the patient's back to determine whether said possible change corresponds to an actual change in said orientation of the patient's back and, when said actual change has occurred, said signal processor further configured to record a patient turn event, to compare said patient turn event with a patient turn protocol, and when said possible change is not said actual change and no patient turn event occurs according to the patient turn protocol, said patient monitor is configured to notify a caregiver of a patient turn protocol violation; wherein said signal processor is configured to determine whether said possible change corresponds to said actual change by determining a difference between said orientation of said patient's back at a previous time and at a current time based at least on said signal, and when said difference is above a threshold, recording said patient turn event. a sensor including an accelerometer configured to measure an acceleration of the patient, a processor, and a first wireless transceiver, said sensor configured for placement on a portion of the patient's back at a location that is approximately at a center between shoulder blades in order to reduce an amount of false indications of orientation changes associated with movement of loose tissue on other portions of the patient's body, said sensor configured to output a signal responsive to the acceleration measured by the accelerometer when said sensor is placed on the portion of the patient's back, said outputted signal indicative of a possible change in an orientation of the patient's back; and a patient monitor comprising a signal processor, a memory device, a storage device, and a second wireless transceiver, said second wireless transceiver configured to receive said signal from said sensor when said sensor is positioned on the portion of the patient's back, said signal processor configured to process said signal indicative of the possible change in the orientation of the patient's back to determine whether said possible change corresponds to an actual change in said orientation of the patient's back and, when said actual change has occurred, said signal processor further configured to record a patient turn event, to compare said patient turn event with a patient turn protocol, and when said possible change is not said actual change and no patient turn event occurs according to the patient turn protocol, said patient monitor is configured to notify a caregiver of a patient turn protocol violation; wherein said signal processor is configured to determine whether said possible change corresponds to said actual change by determining a difference between said orientation of said patient's back at a previous time and at a current time based at least on said signal, and when said difference is above a threshold, recording said patient turn event.