Reducing lower extremity hospital-acquired pressure injuries: a multidisciplinary clinical team approach

• Published in: Journal of wound care Vol. 32; no. Sup7; p. S31
• Main Authors: Pinhasov, Tamir, Isaacs, Shelby, Donis-Garcia, Miriam, Oropallo, Alisha, Brennan, Mary, Rao, Amit, Landis, Gregg, Agrell-Kann, Marie, Li, Timmy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.07.2023
• Subjects: pressure injury; multidisciplinary; wound; wound care; wound healing; wound dressing; hospital-acquired pressure injury; incidence; lower extremity; pressure ulcer
• ISSN: 0969-0700
• DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2023.32.Sup7.S31

Optimal methods of reducing incidence of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) remain to be determined. We assessed changes in yearly incidence of lower extremity HAPIs before and after an intervention aimed at reducing these wounds. In 2012, we implemented a three-pronged intervention to reduce the incidence of HAPIs. The intervention included: a multidisciplinary surgical team; enhanced nursing education; and improved quality data reporting. Yearly incidence of lower extremity HAPIs was tracked. Pre-intervention, incidence of HAPIs was 0.746%, 0.751% and 0.742% in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively. Post-intervention, incidence of HAPIs was 0.002%, 0.051%, 0.038%, 0.000% and 0.006% in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. Mean incidence of HAPIs was reduced from 0.746% before the intervention to 0.022% after the intervention (p<0.001). An intervention by a multidisciplinary surgical team enhanced nursing education, and improved quality data reporting reduced the incidence of lower extremity HAPIs.