Professional Practice-Clinical Practice Outcomes; Standards of Care; Clinical Pathways

Abstract

POSTER PRESENTATION: In February 2007 a special bed committee was formed to initiate a process improvement project. The goals were to decrease confusion about specialty bed/mattress selection and improper selection, to develop specific clinical indicators for specialty beds/mattress, reduce delays in placing patients on specialty beds/mattresses on off shift and holidays, standardize best practices around the clock, reduce hospital-acquired pressure ulcer development, and potential cost savings for specialty beds/mattress utilization. Through the collaborative work of nurse experts on the committee, two valuable tools were developed. They are the Specialty Beds/Mattresses Resource Guide and the Specialty Bed Decision Tree. In-services on the use of the tools were given to a core group of nurses responsible for assessing patients and approving the beds. Hospital-wide nursing staff were introduced to the process during a two-day Wound Care Fair. The new process has succeeded in cutting down on delays in placing patients on special beds/mattresses, the right patient is being placed on the right bed, cost savings are being tracked at this time. Hospital-acquired pressure ulcer rate monitored (NDNQI) quarterly are declining.