Georgia Hospital Maintains Zero Rate for Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries

July 6, 2022
for Hospital/Pharmacy/Home Health Staff

Emory Hillandale, a 100-bed hospital located on the eastern perimeter of Atlanta is part of Emory Healthcare, Georgia’s most comprehensive academic health system.

The leadership team at Emory Hillandale empowered the WOCN to own the process to reduce hospital-acquired pressure injuries. Fran Perren MSN, BSW, RN, NEA-BC, CWOCN is the Unit Director WOC Services at Emory Decatur/LTAC/Hillandale and led the hospital teams to maintain zero rates. Fran’s performance improvement process includes:

  1. Determine at-risk population
  2. Develop a Skin Prevention Bundle for at-risk patients
  3. Provide simple decision trees for clinicians
  4. Form a bedside team to lead the way:
    • Teach proper interventions
    • Measure compliance of interventions
    • Become a unit resource for Skin Management
    • Discuss barriers for performance improvement
    • Celebrate all wins

Along with ongoing leadership support and guidance, successful outcomes are also attributed to bedside teams. Teams receive train-the-trainer education, instruct at quarterly Skin Competency Skills Fair, conduct monthly prevalence audits, and participate in performance improvement initiatives. Photos are of bedside teams celebrating achievements and wins. Both Emory Hillandale and Emory Decatur are maintaining zero rates.

Patient and family education is also vital to successful patient outcomes. Kathy McGowan, MPH,

Patient Advocate and Former Vice President, Quality & Patient Safety

Georgia Hospital Association shared her son Michael’s story of how teach-back methodology led to a positive patient experience.

See Alliant’ website for the April 26 Learning and Action Network (LAN) presentation and recording as well as the Change Path for key takeaways and implementation strategies.