Implementing Two-Nurse Admission Skin Assessments to Reduce Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries
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Abstract
Problem & Purpose: A medical-surgical unit in an academic center in the northeastern US identified a challenge with nursing staff needing to document pressure injuries on admission regularly. This unit had a three-fold increase in hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) in the calendar year 2022 compared to 2020. Zero patients admitted to the unit had a two-nurse skin assessment documented on admission between July and September 2022. This project aimed to increase the frequency of pressure injuries identified on admission by a two-nurse skin assessment protocol and to decrease the number of HAPIs charged to the unit. Methods: Two RNs visualized the patient’s skin on admission and completed assessment documentation. The project lead completed chart audits on all patients admitted to the unit and entered data into a HIPAA-compliant secure server, REDCap. The unit has 18 beds, 31 staff RNs, and one Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse (WOCN). During project implementation, the unit received 345 patient admissions. Stakeholders included the nurse manager, assistant manager, and hospital- based Clinical Nurse Specialist. Results: Compliance with the two-nurse admission skin assessment completion averaged 39%, and compliance with WOCN consult placement averaged 75%. Two HAPIs were charged to this unit during the project. Conclusions: There was suboptimal compliance with an assessment completion due to low RN staffing and high staff turnover. This low-cost improvement project has a possible high return on investment. Literature suggests that the best HAPI prevention occurs when combining a two-nurse admission skin assessment with other methods in a bundle approach, which could be a future consideration.