PUP for SWAT: Pressure Ulcer Prevention Educational Program for Skin & Wound Assessment Team

BACKGROUND 
The new CMS guidelines regarding the prevention of pressure ulcers in acute care are now in effect.  Faced with nonpayment for hospital acquired conditions, including pressure ulcers, we gained full administrative support for our program. Recruiting and organizing our SWAT team was fun and exciting and the enthusiasm of the participants – nurses, nursing assistants and physical therapists – is evident.  The daunting task of educating the team was our challenge.

PURPOSE
The educational needs of our SWAT could have been met by dedicating all our resources to teaching, however we evaluated and incorporated an educational program already available to us, saving valuable time and resources. 

OBJECTIVES
Our objective was that educational program had to be evidence based, interactive and support WOC Nursing.

OUTCOMES
Realizing that pressure ulcer prevention will only be successful if the entire healthcare team is on board, we focused on every member of the healthcare system – centered on the patient. The educational program includes modules for the nursing assistant, the professional staff as well as the patient and family.  The program suggests staff celebration upon successful completion.  It encourages ownership and empowerment of the responsibility of pressure ulcer prevention throughout the entire acute care system and our home health agency. Along with this educational program, we chose a best in class skin care product line that promotes cellular health delivered to the skin.  The skin care* regime includes the tenets of cleaning, moisturizing, protecting, and nourishing. 

Implementing education and ownership to our SWAT team. which is completely supported by administration provided the model for other teams within our healthcare system – Diabetes team and Infection Control team.  Our very independent and assertive SWAT team is now providing weekly newsletters, unit posters, and assisting with monitoring the hospital acquired pressure ulcers, most of which is on their own time.

*REMEDY Advanced Skin Care Product Line from Medline Industries, Inc. Mundelein, IL.  Remedy is a registered trademark of Medline Industries, Inc

We gratefully acknowledge the support of Medline Industries, Inc. Mundelein, IL.