Abstract ID# 2772 Password: 951936              Professional Practice Innovations:              "Redesigning Our Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program”              Problem:  Despite education regarding pressure ulcer prevention, sacral and heel ulcers have been our two most troublesome types of prevalence pressure ulcers.              Objective: Create a supportive educational program and an environment of mentorship to foster personal and unit based responsibility for pressure ulcer prediction, prevention, and treatment.   Background:  The Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Skin Care Committee is in charge of annual pressure ulcer prevalence surveys. In spite of ward/unit feedback, the results continued to show that sacral and heel pressure ulcers were problematic. In 2006, the Veterans Health Administration published a national directive of guidelines for the prediction, prevention, and treatment of pressure ulcers. The Veterans Affairs Nursing Outcomes Database group developed and implemented a documentation template that enables incidence and prevalence data collection on a facility level as well as a national level.              Method:  The VAPAHCS Skin Care Committee adopted the PUPP model and logo (puppy paw in a circle) to identify patients at risk for development of a pressure ulcer based on the Braden Scale Risk Assessment.  The logo would be placed at the patient’s bedside as a reminder to all staff of that patient's risk and the need for individualized intervention measures. Skin care champions (registered nurses) were identified for each acute care and rehabilitation unit. These nurses were given intensive small group education on prediction, prevention, and treatment of pressure ulcers.  They received a special lapel button “Ask me about... TEAM PUPP” to spark interest in the program by their colleagues.  They are also in charge of monitoring pressure ulcers on their ward/unit.               Conclusion:  Administrative support and unit/ward based skin champions make it possible to monitor sacral and heel ulcers.