Reducing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers: a quality improvement project across 21 hospitals

Abstract

A quality improvement initiative across 21 hospitals incorporated a multidisciplinary approach, breakthrough collaborative methods, evidence-based improvement methods and care guidelines, front-line rapid improvement cycles, consistent process-of-care documentation, and real-time incidence data. Statistically significant decreases in both all-stage and stages III, IV, and unstageable hospital-acquired pressure ulcers rates have been sustained for 5 years.