{"id":"892e7f40-435a-4644-90ec-d62fa9e2881f","slug":"how-to-reduce-hospital-acquired-pressure-ulcers-on-a-neuroscience-unit-with-a-skin-and-wound-assessment-team","title":"How to reduce hospital-acquired pressure ulcers on a neuroscience unit with a skin and wound assessment team","authors":["Janice McGuinness","Sherry Persaud-Roberts","Susan Marra","Jeannine Ramos","Diane Toscano","Linda Policastro","Nancy E Epstein"],"abstract":"Background: In 2008, the incidence of hospital acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) continued to increase on a neuroscience unit that included both neurosurgical and neurological patients in a 14-bed intensive care unit, and in a 18-bed floor unit. Methods: To reduce HAPUs, several changes were instituted in 2008; (1) turning patients every 1–2 h/repositioning, (2) specialty beds, and (3) a “skin and wound assessment team (SWAT)” that included one (or two) “expert” nurses/nursing assistants who made rounds on all the patients in the unit at least once a week. They would examine patients from “head to toe”, document/measure all pressure ulcers, and educate primary nurses/nurse assistants on the plan/products needed for the patients wound care based on their assessments. In 2010, further measures included: (1) adding eight Stryker beds, (2) adding pressure relieving heel protector boots, and (3) requiring that all new hospital orientees work one shift (7.5 h) shadowing the SWAT team. Results: The SWAT team initially decreased HAPUs by 48% in 2009; this reduction was further increased in 2010 (57%), and 2011 (61%). Additionally, in 2010, the SWAT team was required to educate nurses in all other units. By 2011, all nurses had to complete the hospital acquired pressure ulcer prevention tutorial. Conclusions: Since instituting a specialized SWAT team for our neuroscience unit, the incidence of HAPUs (cost estimated for grade IV, US $129,248) was decreased by 48% in 2009, by 57% in 2010, and by 61% in 2011. The SWAT program is now hospital-wide.","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/892e7f40-435a-4644-90ec-d62fa9e2881f/featured/hero-1782420988602.png","publishDate":"2012-11-20T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.4103/2152-7806.103645","categories":["Original Article"],"fullTextUrl":"http://sni.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/3478/SNI-3-138.pdf"}