TAPS..Turning and Positioning Study

TAPS...... Turning and Positioning Study Abstract

 

The Turning and Positioning Study (TAPS) took place on a 33 bed oncology unit within a full service 338 bed acute care hospital.  This particular unit had been struggling with an increase in the number of hospital acquired pressure ulcers.  The wound care nurses’ were concerned that this could be related to inconsistency with the turning and repositioning of these high risk patients.  Thus the TAPS was designed and implemented.  

 

The purpose of this study was to increase both nursing and patient satisfaction as well as compliance with turning and repositioning patients by utilizing a static air mattress overlay for turning and a foam wedge for maintaining the desired position.

 

The method utilized for the TAPS was as follows:  All patients with a Braden score of 16 or less were placed on the TAPS and turned every 2 hours utilizing the static air mattress overlay and positioned utilizing the foam wedge.  A visual cue (simulated clock) was placed outside of each TAPS patients’ room as well as above the head of the bed in an effort to increase awareness and compliance with the two hour turning schedule.  The entire nursing staff on the unit was educated and inserviced on the purpose, method, interventions and data collection involved in the TAPS.  A TAPS questionnaire, a Likert type scale, was given to all of the nursing staff prior to the implementation of the TAPS and again at the conclusion of the TAPS.  

 

 A log of the patients’ included in the study was maintained on the unit throughout the duration of the TAPS. Thus yielding a reliable sample size.  The conclusion and results of the study were based on the pre and post questionnaires completed by the nurses and nurses’ aides.