The WOCNs at Providence Portland Medical Center (PPMC), a Magnet facility, established a partnership with the Med/Surg Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and nursing staff on 14 acute care units to reduce the hospital acquired (HA) pressure ulcer (PU) rate from 19% to 6% over 24 months.  As a result of this partnership, over the last 12 months, Stage I HA PU's decreased from 9% to 3% and Stage II and greater PU's decreased from 5% to 2.4%.

Successful strategies by the WOCNs included soliciting Executive and Management support to ensure pressure ulcer prevention and treatment was a priority for the facility and resources would be allocated for this initiative.  Secondly, the WOCNs co-facilitate with the CNS a monthly Skin Care Resource Nurse meeting using evidenced based practice to a group of over 25 nurses representing every acute care unit in the facility. Thirdly, WOCNs monitor 10 clinical units on a daily basis focused on prevention and treatment for Stage 2 and greater PUs. 

 Lastly, the WOCNs manage the Specialty Support Surface Project for the facility.  A specialty support algorithm was created and developed by the WOCNs and implemented house-wide early in 2006.  As a result, in 2007, a cost savings of over $25,000 has resulted and nursing is confident in ensuring patients are placed on the appropriate support surface and discontinued when criteria is no longer met by the patient. 

The continued success of this pressure ulcer prevention and treatment program is attributed to the collaborative practice between the WOCNs, CNS and nursing staff.