Researchers assessed 507 SICU patients for pressure ulcers from December 2008, before the turning intervention was implemented, to September 2010, after the intervention was implemented. The intervention consisted of a team whose role was turning and repositioning all hemodynamically stable patients every two hours.
Before the intervention, researchers identified 42 pressure ulcers in 278 patients, a rate of 15.1 percent. After the turn team was created, researchers identified only 12 pressure ulcers in 229 patients, a 5.2 percent rate, which represents a 65.6 percent decrease in the pressure ulcer rate from baseline.
In addition, among the initial group of patients there were 34 stage I and II ulcers and eight higher stage ulcers. After the turn team was established, there were only seven stage 1 and II ulcers and five higher stage ulcers.
More Articles on Pressure Ulcers:
Patient Safety Tool: Pressure Ulcer Program Assessment
Minnesota Hospitals Improve Rates of Readmissions, Pressure Ulcers, Falls
Des Peres Hospital in St. Louis Opens Wound Care Center
