Pressure ulcer reduction is a National Patient Safety Goal. To manage the prevalence and incidence studies, a team of nurses was organized for each unit. Under the leadership of the WOC Nurse, nurses were empowered to participate in the quality study and also become the resource persons on their unit.

OBJECTIVES: Ø Develop Survey Nurses to participate in the Prevalence and Incidence Study Ø Mentor Skin Care Nurses to become the lead nurses on their units for skin care issues. Ø Incorporate evidence based knowledge

PROCESS OF A SKIN CARE NURSE: The Direct Care Nurses have evolved into Survey Nurses and progressed to Skin Care Nurse experts for their units. This is accomplished by a structured educational component: Ø A yearly education program associated with the prevalence and incidence surveys results in Direct Care Nurses becoming Survey nurses. Ø Attendance at a specific day long in-service on wounds and pressure ulcers advances the Survey Nurse to the status of a Skin Care Nurse. Ø Several additional wound care educational programs enhance the Skin Care Nurses knowledge. Ø Several national nursing and wound care conference are attended by Skin Care Nurses.

The nurses are also involved in Ø Calculation of the data. Ø Development of protocols: µ Pressure ulcer prevention and treatment µ Hemo-dynamically unstable patients unable to be turned. Ø Providing in-services to staff on their particular units. Ø Presenting posters on wound care at local and national conferences. Ø Presently the skin care nurses are developing a hospital wide task force to combine their energies for ongoing performance improvement.

OUTCOMES: Ø Prevalence and incidence scores decreased. Ø Confidence in data quality exists. Ø Hospital is independent of bed manufacturing company for data. Ø Direct Care nurses enhanced their knowledge of Wound Care and learned Quality Improvement methods.