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Background: Quarterly pressure ulcer prevalence studies revealed an unacceptably higher number of hospital acquired pressure ulcers at our urban acute inpatient hospital and Level 1 Trauma Center. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid identified Stage III and IV pressure ulcers as a condition that will not receive additional payment when acquired during hospitalization.
Purpose: The purpose of this professional practice improvement project was to decrease the number of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and to increase the knowledge of current best practices for pressure ulcer prevention.
Method: Wound Services, with support from Nursing Leadership, recruited staff nurses from each unit to serve as peer clinical resources on their unit. Their role, after attending monthly two hour educational programs on skin assessment, wound assessment and treatment, and pressure ulcer prevention, is to model, support and share current best practices for pressure ulcer prevention. Recognizing that consistently incorporating skin assessments into daily practice is of paramount importance, the Nurse Educators offered to lead the nursing staff in conducting weekly prevalence studies. The weekly prevalence studies provided an opportunity for “just in time” teaching of thorough skin assessments, identification of skin issues and pressure ulcer prevention and treatment.
Outcomes: A decrease in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers was noted in the latest hospital-wide prevalence study. Increased satisfaction related to understanding skin assessment and pressure ulcer prevention best practices was measured by numerous anecdotal comments heard from staff and student nurses. Thorough skin assessments, including inspection of ears and heels, have become standard practice.
Next Steps: Maintaining awareness and vigilance of skin assessment and pressure ulcer prevention is a priority. The Skin Resource Nurses will remain active and continue to provide assistance to their peers. Weekly prevalence studies will persist until a decrease in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers is evident. Once achieved, prevalence studies will decrease to monthly.
Purpose: The purpose of this professional practice improvement project was to decrease the number of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and to increase the knowledge of current best practices for pressure ulcer prevention.
Method: Wound Services, with support from Nursing Leadership, recruited staff nurses from each unit to serve as peer clinical resources on their unit. Their role, after attending monthly two hour educational programs on skin assessment, wound assessment and treatment, and pressure ulcer prevention, is to model, support and share current best practices for pressure ulcer prevention. Recognizing that consistently incorporating skin assessments into daily practice is of paramount importance, the Nurse Educators offered to lead the nursing staff in conducting weekly prevalence studies. The weekly prevalence studies provided an opportunity for “just in time” teaching of thorough skin assessments, identification of skin issues and pressure ulcer prevention and treatment.
Outcomes: A decrease in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers was noted in the latest hospital-wide prevalence study. Increased satisfaction related to understanding skin assessment and pressure ulcer prevention best practices was measured by numerous anecdotal comments heard from staff and student nurses. Thorough skin assessments, including inspection of ears and heels, have become standard practice.
Next Steps: Maintaining awareness and vigilance of skin assessment and pressure ulcer prevention is a priority. The Skin Resource Nurses will remain active and continue to provide assistance to their peers. Weekly prevalence studies will persist until a decrease in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers is evident. Once achieved, prevalence studies will decrease to monthly.