Driving Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers to Zero

Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers are serious clinical complications that can lead to increased length of stay, pain, infection, and, potentially, death. The surgical progressive care unit at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, San Diego, California, developed the multidisciplinary Healthy Skin Project to decrease the prevalence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. The previous treatment plan was reviewed and modified according to current evidence-based practice. The project consisted of 3 components: creation of a position for a unit-based wound liaison nurse, staff education, and involvement of the nursing assistants. The wound liaison nurse developed and conducted bimonthly skin audits, which revealed inconsistencies in clinical practice and documentation. Education for the staff was accomplished via a self-learning module, case presentations, and 1-on-1 training. In addition, a pressure ulcer algorithm tool was developed to demonstrate step-by-step wound management and documentation. From Spring 2003 through Summer 2006, the prevalence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers ranged from 0.0% to 18.92%, with a mean of 4.85%. After implementation of the project, the prevalence decreased to 0.0% for 17 of 20 quarters, through 2011. Prevention and a multidisciplinary approach are effective in reducing the occurrence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers.

Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) are a problem that has been under increased scrutiny in recent years. To help reduce the incidence of HAPUs and to improve their management, a burn unit-centered wound care team was established. The team decided to pursue two goals: to identify opportunities for improvement that may help prevent HAPUs and to evaluate all available support surfaces to identify those that might best help with pressure redistribution. To identify opportunities for improvement, the team studied each new case of HAPUs throughout our hospital with a forensic chart review for a 3-year period. To identify the best support surfaces to help reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers, we evaluated all support surfaces available at our institution by pressure mapping in healthy volunteers. From 3 years of collecting and reporting data for quality improvement, we identified 23 patients with HAPUs and obtained more than 800 data sets from pressure mapping in healthy volunteers. Most (23/24; 96%) patients with HAPUs identified in this series had undergone a surgical procedure. The results of the quality improvement studies are presented. We conclude that prevention planning of HAPUs needs to be improved in patients undergoing surgery, in particular. No single support surface can prevent pressure ulcers, but use of overlays may help reduce peak pressures over bony prominences.

The aim of this study was to identify current research on turning frequencies of adult bed-bound patients and inform future turning practices for hospitals based on evidence-based practice. We undertook a scoping review framework that provided a transparent and systematic methodology using 8 electronic databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest, and Web of Science) to identify articles published from 2000 to 2016. Articles were included if they focused on the prevention of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers related to the frequency of turning or repositioning of bed-bound patients. Literature search and data extraction were performed independently by 3 authors. The study followed the PRISMA guidelines. In total, 911 articles were identified, of which 10 were eligible. Of the eligible articles, 8 studies could not reach a conclusion on the effective frequency of turning and duration for repositioning patients to prevent the development of pressure ulcers. Only 2 studies found significant differences among the intervention and control groups. Results regarding turning and repositioning schedules are inconclusive; however, the topic needs further exploration to improve the outdated guidelines surrounding pressure ulcer prevention. This may, in turn, make the work of nurses more efficient and make treatment cost-effective for both the patients and the hospitals.

The incidence and prevalence rates of pressure ulcers in the paediatric population: A meta-review of systematic reviews.

A multidisciplinary process improvement program was initiated at the University of Miami Hospital (UMH) in 2009 to identify the prevalence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPU) at the institution and to implement interventions to reduce the incidence of HAPU. This deliberate and thoughtful committee-driven process evaluated care, monitored results, and designed evidence-based strategic initiatives to manage and reduce the rate of HAPU. As a result all inpatient beds were replaced with support surfaces, updated care delivery protocols were created, and monitored, turning schedules were addressed, and a wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) nurse and support staff were hired. These initial interventions resulted in a decrease in the prevalence of HAPU at UMH from 11.7% of stage II to IV ulcers in the second quarter, 2009 to 2.1% the third quarter. The rate remained at or near the 2009 UMH benchmark of 3.1% until the first quarter of 2012 when the rate rose to 4.1%. At that time new skin products were introduced into practice and continuing re-education was provided. The rate of HAPU dropped to 2.76% by the second quarter of 2012 and has remained steadily low at 1%–2% for nine consecutive quarters.

Reducing Incidence and Prevalence of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers at Genesis Medical Center

<p>Although great strides have been made to tackle hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs), there is a need for greater recognition of device-related pressure ulcers (DRPUs), including their causes, management and prevention. This consensus statement, an updated second edition, aims to continue raising awareness of these largely preventable injuries and, crucially, to stimulate action. DRPUs are relatively common and account for a growing proportion of HAPUs. Updated information on the incidence of DRPUs is described in chapter 1. Although it is recognised that DRPUs increase the financial burden of healthcare, there is little formal analysis of their economic impact. This needs to be addressed; robust evidence on the burden of DRPUs and the value that can be released by adopting prevention strategies is needed to help drive action. Our understanding of the pathophysiology of DRPUs has improved significantly over the past few years; this is described in chapter 2. One crucial difference between PUs and DRPUs is that body-weight forces are less significant in DRPUs, with the force being exerted from a device that is typically strapped or taped onto the body. Devices and their securement may generate high stress concentrations in tissues, leading to cell and tissue-damage pathways associated with sustained deformation. As more evidence is published on DRPUs, recurring themes are emerging, as outlined in chapter 3: The most vulnerable patients are bearing the brunt of DRPUs; paediatric and neonatal patients, and all those needing critical care are particularly susceptible. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a new high-risk population (people with severe COVID-19 infection) emerged. They are at increased risk of DRPUs because of their need for prolonged ventilatory support, especially when 'proning' Devices associated with DRPUs are often used to perform essential, life-saving functions. They include continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) masks or endotracheal tubes. Minimising their use is clearly not an option, so practice innovation is needed Although the most common locations for DRPUs are the face, ears, lower legs and heels, any location where a device comes into close contact with the skin can be at risk. In the same vein, any device, whether needed for a medical purpose or not, has the capacity to cause injury if its use is not properly managed. Vigilance is needed for all patients. What can be done? The importance of routine risk assessment is covered in chapter 4. Although use of a validated risk assessment tool is the vital first step, this will not be enough on its own. Several steps can be taken to ensure the safe use of devices. These are described in chapter 5 and include device repositioning, cushioning with prophylactic dressings and moisture control (only where possible and clinically appropriate). Of key importance is the development of an institutional protocol and champions to ensure all necessary steps are adopted. For any of these changes to be put into practice, awareness of DRPUs needs to increase. A number of proposals are outlined in chapter 6. A change of focus among health professionals and policy makers, along with more investment in education and training, are needed. All patients being managed with a medical device must be considered as at high risk. The pandemic introduced the world to the problem of DRPUs in health professionals caused by the extended wear of personal protective equipment. Health professionals also have a right to expect institutional protocols and provision of devices that protect them from DRPUs. Cutting-edge ideas and technologies that may be available in the future are described in chapter 7. When designing new products, manufacturers of medical devices have a duty of care to investigate the risks of DRPUs associated with their products and mitigate them, wherever possible. Our developing understanding of how the design, structure and materials used in medical devices contribute to DRPUs will help us develop new solutions for tomorrow. The first step is for everyone involved to ask themselves, 'what can I do to help?' There is work to be done-your journey to reduce DRPUs starts here!.</p>

The number of hospital patients who develop pressure sores has risen by 63 % over the last 10 years, and nearly 60,000 deaths occur annually from hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. It has been estimated that it costs between 1.5 and 5.0 billion dollars a year to manage pressure ulcers in the United States [1]. In the United States in October of 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that it will stop reimbursing hospitals for treating reasonably preventable conditions—pressure ulcers are among these conditions. That announcement has put hospitals into a state of anxiety, and with good reason, up until now, the majority of hospitals focus on the treatment of pressure ulcers, rather than preventing them. Section 5001(c) of the DRA required the Secretary to identify, by October 1, 2007, at least two conditions for which hospitals under the IPPS (Inpatient Prospective Payment System) would not receive additional payment beginning on October 1, 2008, if the condition was not present on admission. The conditions (a) must be of high cost or high volume or both, (b) must result in the assignment of a case to a DRG that has a higher payment when present as a secondary diagnosis, and (c) could reasonably have been prevented through the application of evidence-based guidelines. For discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2008, hospitals would not receive additional payment for cases in which one of the selected HACs was not present on admission. That is, the case would be paid as though the secondary diagnosis was not present. Pressure ulcers are one of the hospital-acquired complications that CMS deems to be preventable, and as a result, prevention is on the forefront of all hospital policies. Pressure ulcers can affect any patient that has limited mobility due to illness or disease. There are some patient populations that are at greater risk than others. Individuals with spinal cord injuries have a high incidence of pressure ulcer development. It has been estimated that 25 % of individuals will develop a pressure ulcer in a year, with 85 % having at least one pressure ulcer in his/her lifetime [1]. Individuals aging with spinal cord injuries will have increased risk as age-related changes affect the strength and elasticity of the skin. Niazi et al. found that the recurrence rate for patients with spinal cord injuries who develop pressure ulcers was 35 % [1]. The treatment of pressure ulcers is approximately 25 % of the cost of caring for individuals with spinal cord injury. The cost of prevention is approximately 10 % the cost of treatment [1, 2]. Another population at greater risk for pressure ulcer development is the elderly especially those in long-term care facilities. Twenty-five to thirty-five percent of elderly patients in these facilities develop pressure ulcers during their length of stay. Prevention is the key to improving these patients’ quality of life and reduces the burden that pressure ulcers place on our healthcare systems.

The cost of treating a hospital-acquired pressure ulcer (HAPU) places a significant burden on healthcare facilities. Associated expenses potentially include increased supplies, equipment, specialty beds, staffing, nutritional support, laboratory testing, and hospital length of stay. The quarterly HAPU data revealed an increased prevalence in our 25-bed intermediate care unit at Central DuPage Hospital at Winfield, Illinois. There were 6 occurrences of HAPU during fiscal year 2005 to fiscal year 2006, and 5 occurred during fiscal year 2006 to 2007. Based on these data, our unit quality council investigated contributory factors and reviewed current tools and standards of practice related to pressure ulcer prevention. Strategic plans were developed to reduce the incidence of HAPU. Follow-up monitoring revealed no HAPU occurrence from October 2006 through September 2007. Pressure ulcer prevention strategies proved effective in reducing incidence during a 1-year period and have been approved as standards of practice for the unit.

Obese patients are difficult to transport between emergency departments, imaging facilities, operating rooms, intensive care units, acute care units, and rehabilitation facilities. Each move, along with turning, bathing, and access to bathrooms, poses risks of injury to patients and personnel. Similarly, inadequate mobilization raises the risk of pressure ulcers. The costs can be prohibitive. On 6 pilot units, mobilization of patients was delegated to trained lift team technicians who covered the units in pairs, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, to assist with moving and lifting of patients weighing 200 pounds or more, with a Braden Scale score of 18 or less and/or the presence of pressure ulcers. In fiscal year 2012, hospital-acquired pressure ulcers on pilot units decreased by 43% (from 61 to 35). Patient handling-related employee injuries on pilot units decreased by 38.5% (from 13 to 8). Employee satisfaction related to organizational commitment to employee safety and impact on job satisfaction was positively impacted by implementation of the lift team. With the reduction in employee injuries and the fall in the prevalence of pressure ulcers, the adoption of the lift team program decreased costs by $493,293.00. Implementation of lift teams on pilot nursing units decreased patient handling-related employee injuries, resulting in sharp improvements in quality patient care and reduced costs.

Objective To analyze the continuous monitoring results of pressure ulcer, so as to provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcer. Methods Based on the results of continuous monitoring of pressure sores in hospitalized patients in People's Hospital of Longyou between 2009 and 2016, the prevalence rate, incidence rate and distribution characteristics of pressure sores were obtained by retrospective statistical analysis. Results There were 112 206 cases monitoring during eight years. Pressure ulcer prevalence rate was 0.54%. The incidence rates of primary diagnostic pressure ulcers and hospital acquired pressure ulcers were 0.47% and 0.07%, respectively. ICU had the highest prevalence rate accounting for 4.25%. In all pressure ulcer patients, male to female ratio was 2.124∶1, and the average age was (70.57±19.89) years old with 62.71% of people over 70 years old. There were 606 pressure sore cases with a total occurrence of 917 pressure ulcers and 1.513 bedsores per patient. The most common site was the end of the sacral pressure sores which accounted for 53.00%, followed by the ministry of the iliac crest of 12.98%, and the ankle of 10.47%. Pressure ulcer in phase Ⅱ was most common stage, accounting for 46.78%, followed by phase Ⅲ of 20.28%, and phase Ⅰ of 13.09%. Conclusions The results show lower existing and incidence rates in our hospital than those reported in present domestic literatures. Aged male patients are of high incidence pressure ulcers. The sacral pressure ulcers and the phase Ⅱ ulcers are most common. Continuous monitoring and prudent management can effectively reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers. Key words: Incidence; Pressure ulcer; Monitoring

Evaluation of final-year nursing students' attitudes towards preventing medical device‐related pressure ulcers using a ABC model of affect, behavior and cognitive dimensions

Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers are a common problem. Although a number of risk factors have been identified, relationships among risk profile characteristics and pressure ulcer outcomes have not been described in hospitalized patients. To describe patients' characteristics and risk factors associated with pressure ulcer outcome. A retrospective chart review was used to collect data on 87 patients in whom hospital-acquired pressure ulcers developed from May 2007 to November 2008. All pressure ulcers were staged by a certified wound nurse. Relationships among risk profile characteristics and pressure ulcer outcomes were determined via bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. High severity of illness was present in patients with hospital-acquired pressure ulcers; 89% were intensive care patients. Vasopressor infusion, spinal cord injury, and age 40 or greater conferred risk for nonhealing pressure ulcers. Among pressure ulcer stages, suspected deep tissue injury ulcers were less likely to heal. Identification of characteristics and risk factors associated with development of nonhealing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers will allow nurses to recognize patients at risk for nonhealing and to take aggressive preventative measures.

It is not easy to ensure optimal prevention of hospital-acquired pressure ulcer (HAPU) in crowded emergency departments (EDs). We hypothesised that a prolonged ED length of stay (LOS) is associated with an increased risk of HAPU. This is a single-centre observational study. Prospectively collected HAPU surveillance data were analysed. Adult (aged ≥20 years) patients admitted through the ED from April 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016 were included. The primary outcome was the development of HAPU within a month. Covariates included demographics, comorbidities, conditions at triage, initial laboratory results, primary ED diagnosis, critical ED interventions, and ED dispositions. The association between ED LOS and HAPU was modelled using logistic and extended Cox regression. A total of 48 641 admissions were analysed. The crude odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) for HAPU were increased to 1.44 (95% CI, 1.20-1.72) and 1.21 (95% CI, 1.02-1.45), respectively, in ED LOS ≥24 hours relative to ED LOS <6 hours. In multivariable logistic regression, ED LOS ≥12 and ≥24 hours were associated with higher risk of HAPU, with ORs of 1.30 (95% CI, 1.05-1.60) and 1.80 (95% CI, 1.45-2.23) relative to ED LOS <6 hours, respectively. The extended Cox regression showed that the risk lasted up to a week, with HRs of 1.42 (95% CI, 1.07-1.88) and 1.92 (95% CI, 1.44-2.57) relative to ED LOS <6 hours, respectively. In conclusion, Prolonged ED LOS is independently associated with HAPU. Shorter ED LOS should be pursued as a goal in a multifaceted solution for HAPU.

Pressure ulcer prevention teamwork