pressure injuries
why is this a priority for us?
- Pressure injuries occur when items push against the skin for prolonged periods and damage the skin and tissue underneath
- These can progress to open wounds and lead to infection, scarring, and prolonged hospitalization
who’s at greatest risk?
- Patients who are very sick, and those who are not moving much
- Patients who are not well nourished
- Patients who have objects such as casts, braces, face masks, or even oxygen sensors which can create pressure on the skin
what are we doing to help reduce pressure injuries?
- Routine checking of skin by a dedicated group of nurses, especially around medical devices
- Rotating oxygen probes twice daily
- Using moisture barrier creams with diaper changes
- Making sure we use the right bed for each patient
- Assessing patients for those who are at high risk for development of pressure injuries
what do we measure?
- We measure pressure injuries at various stages, depending on how much tissue damage has occurred
- We want to do everything we can to prevent pressure injuries, but when they do begin to occur detect them at their earliest stages before there is skin breakdown.
- We calculate our rate as pressure injuries (stage 3 and higher) per 1000 patient days