Pressure Ulcers Decrease with Statewide Initiative
The New Jersey Hospital Association spearheaded a statewide effort to reduce the incidence of bedsores that utilized basic, simple, and inexpensive interventions, as reported in a press release from the organization.
The initiative included completion of a variety of different tasks. Within eight hours of being admitted to hospitals, all patients had skin evaluations to assess for the presence of sores. Facilities also added nutritionists to the list of providers caring for patients with pressure ulcers to ensure proper nutrition and hydration.
A documentation system was developed to monitor patient’s skin condition when ulcers were present. This facilitated recognition when bed sores were getting worse so that treatment plans could be modified. These records were also part of the information shared when patients were transferred between institutions.
Other plans were initiated by individual institutions to further support the effort to reduce sores. One hospital placed clocks in patient rooms to remind care providers when to turn patients. Another facility purchased beds specifically created to prevent bedsores. Padding for patients undergoing hip surgery changed when nurses noted that those patients were developing the sores.
The results are impressive, the incidence of pressure ulcers was reduced to 70 percent, collectively, among the 150 participating facilities. The study started in September 2005, at that time 18 percent of patients had sores. The rate dropped to five percent in less than two years. Most exciting, almost 50 institutions have noted no ulcers occurred during the first quarter of this year.
August 9, 2007 Related topics: General Management & Administration, Standards