Reducing nosocomial pressure ulcers in an acute care facility

J Nurs Care Qual. 2000 Apr;14(3):28-36. doi: 10.1097/00001786-200004000-00004.

Abstract

In 1996, a nursing committee at an acute care facility organized the first pressure ulcer point prevalence survey for that hospital. In 1996, hospital-acquired pressure ulcers were 90 percent of the predicted prevalence rate; in 1997, the rate dropped to 59 percent of the predicted prevalence and in 1998, to 53 percent of the predicted prevalence. The severity index decreased markedly from 291 (1996) to 98 (1997) then to 62 (1998). These improvements are attributed to the purposeful addition of multidimensional interventions, including best practices and research-based protocols, to prevent and treat nosocomial pressure ulcers.

MeSH terms

  • Benchmarking
  • Cross Infection / classification
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / nursing*
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control*
  • Data Collection / methods
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Patient Care Team
  • Pressure Ulcer / classification
  • Pressure Ulcer / epidemiology
  • Pressure Ulcer / nursing*
  • Pressure Ulcer / prevention & control*
  • Prevalence
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Texas / epidemiology