Evaluating the Effects of a Pressure Injury Prevention Algorithm

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a pressure injury prevention algorithm on pressure injury prevention. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This intervention study was conducted in the anesthesiology and reanimation ICU (ARICU) of a university hospital. The study included two sample groups (nurses and patients). All patients older than 18 years (prealgorithm, n = 80; postalgorithm, n = 74) in the ARICU who verbally consented were included in the study. All 15 nurses who worked in the ARICU during the postalgorithm period agreed to participate in the study. INTERVENTIONS: The study was performed in four phases. In the first phase, pressure injury incidence was evaluated in the ARICU (prealgorithm period; April 1 to September 30, 2016). At the same time, a pressure injury prevention algorithm was developed. In the second phase, ARICU nurses were provided education on how to prevent pressure injury and use the pressure injury prevention algorithm. In the third phase, the nurses provided care based on the pressure injury prevention algorithm (postalgorithm period; November 1, 2016, to April 30, 2017). In the fourth phase, the incidence of pressure injury in the pre- and postalgorithm periods was compared, and the effectiveness of the algorithm was evaluated. MAIN RESULTS: The pressure injury incidence was 46.10 per 1,000 patient-days in the prealgorithm period and 9.21 per 1,000 patient-days in the postalgorithm period. The decline was statistically significant (z = ...
Source: Advances in Skin and Wound Care - Category: Dermatology Tags: FEATURES: ORIGINAL INVESTIGATIONS Source Type: research