Running head: CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESSURE INJURIES 1 CAPSTONE PROJECT Pressure Injuries Kimberly Rister Grand Canyon University NRS 490 December 12, 2018

CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESSURE INJURIES 2 Capstone Final Project Preventing Pressure Injuries Background and Problem statement Pressure injuries pose a significant burden to both patients and health care facilities. There are an increasing number of studies that have examined the use of prophylactic dressings, and their ability to redistribute pressure and protect the skin from shear and friction damage (Cornish L, 2017.) The prevention of pressure injuries has been more effective, rather than having to treat the injury once it occurs. One of the many interventions that has been successful in preventing unit acquired pressure injuries on my unit is the use of pink sacral foams and doing skin checks at every shift change. Pressure ulceration is a significant global healthcare problem and represents a considerable burden on healthcare resources. With the implementation of skin checks during shift change, as well as a skin check slip check off to ensure that skin checks were being completed pressure injuries have decreased significantly on this nurse’s unit. Purpose of the Change Proposal As with any pressure injury, prevention is key. By preventing pressure injuries to patients’ nurses are providing quality care and ensuring that their patients are taken care of. If that patient was to develop a pressure injury while there, they would not only have to stay longer but then gain the risk of developing an infection and leads the patient and their family to distrust the facility and feel that they weren’t given the quality of care that they deserved. Also, in preventing pressure injuries it is more cost effective as it is more costly to treat the injuries, than it is to treat them when they do occur as they usually become infected and cause the patient to stay in the hospital longer. PICOT

CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESSURE INJURIES 3 POPULATION: patients on a rehabilitation unit INTERVENTION: applying sacral foams and ensuring that skin checks are done at shift change COMPARISON: turning and repositioning OUTCOME: Decrease the amount of unit acquired pressure injuries on patients during their hospital stay TIME: measured weekly for ten weeks QUESTION: Are patients whose skin is being checked as well as being turned and repositioned less likely to develop a pressure injury compared to those who are just being turned and repositioned? Pressure injuries have been a significant burden to patients and health care workers for years. In preventing pressure injuries, it not only decreases the stress on the patient, it reduces the risk of infection, and increases the quality of care that can be provided to the patient. One of the interventions that has been successful in preventing unit acquired pressure injuries on this nurse’s unit is the use of pink sacral foams and doing skin checks at every shift change. Pressure