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The purpose of this Quality Improvement Study was to determine the impact of an assistive device, designed to aid nursing personnel turn and reposition patients who are difficult to maneuver, on the occurrence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs), and the effect on utilization of nursing time and resources during patient repositioning.
Background
Unrelieved pressure on body surfaces is generally considered a primary risk factor for developing pressure ulcers. Major preventative interventions consist of repositioning to alleviate pressure, which is most often accomplished through turning the patient (Lyder, 2003). While turning is not seen as a complex nursing intervention, patients in critical care units are often maintained by multiple complex pieces of equipment, medications, and other variables that make it necessary for several staff to turn the patient safely. It is challenging to find effective resources to turn these complex patients and there have been few strategies to address the barriers to frequent repositioning. This study investigated an assistive device that includes a low-friction glide sheet, microclimate body pad, and dual wedges placed under the patient to facilitate turning, allowing nurses to reposition patients with minimal assistance.
Methods
This 2-Phase study was performed in surgical intensive and medical intensive care units. In the Pre-Intervention Phase, 50 patients were observed to determine the rate of HAPUs; staff was observed for 16 hours to determine the time and personnel required to turn and reposition patients. In the Intervention Phase, the assistive device was implemented and identical methodology was used to collect data for comparison.
Results
Descriptive statistics will be used to compare the time and resources required with and without using the assistive device. Pre- and post-intervention data will be evaluated to determine if there is a correlation between the use of the device and the incidence of HAPUs.