Prevention of Bi-pap nasal bridge pressure injury

Prevention of Bi-pap Pressure injury in a medium size community hospital in the South East U.S.

This was a collaborative approach to solving a very plaguing problem of our ICU patients.

We had experienced 18 SDTI/full thickness injuries of the nasal bridge due to Bi-pap use in 2014. This was an unacceptable occurrence rate in a zero tolerance environment.

Respiratory Department and Nursing had to come together to problem solve and identify opportunities for change in the process of Bi-pap usage.

Points along the process were identified including; education, equipment, skin care, responsibility and timing of care.

It took another 6 months to educate, assess, introduce new equipment, and fine tune the process that was going to get us to zero skin breakdown.

Since the new processes have been put into place, we have not had a pressure ulcer of the nasal bridge.