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Keywords

Intensive care unit, pressure injuries

Disciplines

Nursing

Description

Intensive care unit patients are at risk for pressure injuries due to a variety of factors like friction and shear, increased moisture, and immobility. About 60,000 patients die as a direct result of a pressure injury each year. The cost to treat pressure injuries can range from $20,900 - $151,700 depending on the stage of the injury. The average length of hospital stay is nearly 3x longer with a pressure ulcer.

Nurses play an important role in preventing pressure injuries in their patients. The MICU has a protocol and turn team for patients with Braden scores less than 18. Despite the team's best efforts with turning their patients every 2 hours, the MICU saw an increase in pressure injuries from January-July of 2023. Unit leadership decided to trial the Prevalon AirTap System, a system that can address the ease of turn, friction and shear, moisture, and immobility that includes:

1. Prevalon Air Pump Technology (ease in boost/less friction/shear)

2. Glide Sheet with grips / log roll handles (ease in boost/turn)

3. Two Turning Wedges (sacrum offloading)

4. Microclimate body pad (reduce moisture

The aims of this product trial and implementation were to:

1. Ensure sacrum offloading

2. Increase ease and compliance with the unit’s turning protocol

3. Reduce hip to hip pressure injuries

Publication Date

5-6-2024

Comments

Nurses Week at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, May 6-12, 2024.

Implementing AirTap in the MICU

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