NDNQI Benchmark:
hospitals with 500+ beds
Green = Favorable
Red = Unfavorable

Preventing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers is a top priority for healthcare organizations across the country. At MGH, the interdisciplinary Pressure Ulcer Strategic Initiative Task Force helps educate staff throughout the hospital about best practices related to preventing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. In recent months, the Task Force adopted a “Save Our SKIN” (SOS) campaign that deputizes all staff as SKIN Savers and employs the SKIN Bundle as a framework for safe SKIN practices. Preliminary results show a decline in MGH prevalence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers in 2011—2.7% in March, 1.9% in June, and 1.7% in September.

SOS Toolkit

• SOS Poster
• Patient and Family Fact Sheet
• Wound Measurement Sticker
• Ulcer Documentation Audit Tool
• Huddle Data Form

Policies, Procedures & Guidelines:
(TROVE: internal access only)

2.7.1 Wound Care Product Formulary

16-8-1 Nursing Practice Guideline For Skin and Wound Care

Interventions Specific to Braden / Braden Q Subscales

• Appendix A Braden Scale
• Appendix B Braden Q Scale

Skin Integrity Problem List (Internal Access Only)

Practice & Quality Subcommittee:
Skin Care -
Meets: 4th Tuesday monthly
1:00pm-3:00pm
Yawkey 2-210
Conference Room

“Are you on board with the ‘Save Our SKIN' Campaign?" —Caring Headlines, July 21, 2011

“What are pressure ulcers and how do you prevent them?" —Caring Headlines, April 15, 2010

“Raising the bar on patient safety” —Caring Headlines, March 4, 2010

MGH Resources

Risk assessment tool:  Braden Scale

Pressure ulcer staging:
National Dataset of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) Online Education Program

HealthStream Offerings
(internal access only)

MGH Contacts:

External Resources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
The mission of AHRQ is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans.

• National Guideline Clearinghouse
• AHRQ pressure ulcer toolkit

American Academy of Wound Management (AAWM)
A national inter-disciplinary certifying board for healthcare professionals involved in wound care.

American College of Certified Wound Specialists (ACCWS)
Comprised of interdisciplinary wound care professionals who are certified as Certified Wound Specialists® (CWS®). The ACCWS provides education, informational resources and research avenues to enhance the knowledge, skills, professional performance and relationships required by health professionals to serve their patients, public, and professions.

Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC)
A multidisciplinary organization that spreads awareness about advanced, evidence based wound care by promoting excellence in education, clinical practice, public policy, and research. (Membership required.) AAWC Pressure Ulcer Guidelines (2010)

MedlinePlus
(National Library of Medicine and the National
Institutes of Health): A comprehensive directory that links to different educational resources from reputable organizations on a variety of health topics.

National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP)
An independent not-for-profit professional organization dedicated to the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. NPUAP Pressure Ulcer Guidelines (2009)

World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS)
The mission of the WUWHS is to enhance the life of persons with wounds worldwide.

Wound Healing Society
Composed of clinical and basic scientists and wound care specialists, the mission of the WHS is to improve wound healing outcomes through science, professional education, and communication.

Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing (WOCN)
A professional nursing society that supports its members by promoting educational, clinical, and research opportunities to advance the practice and guide the delivery of expert health care to individuals with wounds, ostomies, and incontinence. (Membership required.) WOCN Pressure Ulcer Guidelines (2010)

Excellence Every Day represents an MGH commitment to providing the highest quality, safest care that meets or exceeds all standards set by the hospital and external organizations.