A quality improvement programme to reduce pressure ulcers
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A quality improvement programme to reduce pressure ulcers

Nicola Heywood Tissue viability nurse specialist, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Bath, England
Lisa Brown Ward sister, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Bath, England
Michaela Arrowsmith Lead tissue viability nurse specialist, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Bath, England
Alexa Poppleston Tissue viability nurse specialist, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Bath, England

This article outlines an innovative way of preventing pressure ulcers in the acute hospital setting. A programme using Rapid Spread Methodology was undertaken to reduce hospital-acquired pressure ulcers over a short period of time. Results demonstrated a reduction to zero in the prevalence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and an 80% reduction in their incidence, in a six-month period.

Nursing Standard. 29, 46, 62-70. doi: 10.7748/ns.29.46.62.s46

Correspondence

nicolaheywood@nhs.net

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

Received: 27 February 2015

Accepted: 05 May 2015

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