Unit Based Turn Team

Hospital Acquired Pressure Ulcers (HAPU) are a nagging problem for many hospitals due to the complexity of patient’s health, increased length of stay for patients, and financial burdens for hospitals.  The Adult Progressive Care Unit’s Shared Governance at Maricopa Medical Center, a 578-bed acute care hospital, implemented an innovative pilot project consisting of a unit-based turn team to determine whether routinely scheduled turns with linen assessments would help to prevent HAPUs and promote skin integrity.  The study was conducted over three months with the unit’s registered nurses and certified nurse assistants.  Findings suggest that a unit based turn team promotes skin integrity and reduces pressure ulcers.