WHAT Would FLO Do? a Practical Beginning for Achieving Outcomes and Patient Safety on One Stepdown Unit

Selection of the right support surface to match the needs of the patient is integral to pressure ulcer care, safety, and service accomplished with as few dollars as possible.

Capital purchases of pressure redistribution support surfaces have become more appealing over rentals. Choices are limited to contracts established by health systems. Budgets determine the quantity to be purchased. One Nurse Manager took this a step further considering achievement of positive patient care outcomes, a priority in her purchase decision. According to the NPUAP (2007) Support Surface Standards Initiative, therapeutic support surfaces are categorized as active and reactive. The standard support surface chosen at this health system is a reactive surface with the capability of upgrading to an active alternating air support surface. An additional capital purchase of powered pumps could be added to the standard hospital support surface, for those patients at high risk on admission. The accessibility of the pump for nursing allowed “just in time” support surface upgrade resulting in zero preventable hospital acquired pressure ulcers. Patient experienced being no delay in prevention. Anticipating the skin health needs of moderate to high risk patients on a new step down unit is the focus of this poster presentation. With the state of national healthcare, the focus is quality patient immediate therapeutic intervention, and effective use of nursing time and savings of healthcare dollars.

This poster presentation illustrates a collaborative pro-active approach to safe, quality patient care, by the Nurse Manager and Nursing Staff, leading to positive patient outcomes.  Pressure ulcer prevalence data and cost savings will be illustrated.

Black, J., Berke, C., & Urzendowski, G. (2012). Pressure ulcer incidence and progression in critically ill subjects: Influence of low air loss mattress versus a powered air pressure redistribution mattress. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing 39(3), 267-273.