Pressure ulcers being reduced across Worcestershire hospitals trust (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Pressure ulcers being reduced across Worcestershire hospitals trust

8:30am Sunday 16th September 2012 in News

WORCESTERSHIRE Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is making great progress towards eliminating all hospital acquired pressure ulcers following the introduction of a new pressure ulcer prevention campaign last May.

Hospital patients and staff are starting to see the results of four months of hard work to improve patient care and eliminate pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are broken down into grades one to four, with four the most severe.

There were no new category three or four pressure ulcers developed in the county’s hospitals in August, and there was a decline in the less serious category one and two pressure sores, down from 33 in June to 14 in August.   

The success is a result of staff across the three hospitals working together, from nurses and health care assistants implementing a new system for care and comfort ward rounds, to porters who are working to make sure essential equipment is delivered promptly.

The Trust has signed up to an ambition to eliminate avoidable hospital acquired pressure ulcers by December.

Staff on Ward 2 at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital are ahead of the pack having reached their 60th day with zero acquired pressure ulcers thanks to their zero tolerance approach.

The team has embraced the challenge and tackled it with enthusiasm and determination. Their success is down to the commitment and hard work of ward sisters, nurses and the trust’s Tissue Viability Team.  

Shirley Hodgetts, ward sister said: “Since the introduction of the pressure ulcer prevention campaign, we have seen a gradual but significant reduction in the number of pressure ulcers acquired. 

“Working together as a team has ensured our success.  Our motto is ‘TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More’.”