The State of Connecticut has strong requirements for hospital reporting of adverse events. This year, hospitals reported a rate of serious pressure ulcer development at only half of that reported last year. Dr. Mary Reich Cooper, vice president and chief quality officer for the Connecticut Hospital Association, said the state’s hospitals are making extensive efforts to identify patients at risk of ... pressure sores upon admission.
The Greater New York Hospital Association, a trade association comprising hospitals in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, just announced their free organizational assessment of a pressure ulcer prevention and management program. The program requires that "all consumers receive a comprehansive skin inspection and risk assessment by a registered nurse at time of initiation of services by your organization". Interventions to be considered for all at-risk patients include "pressure reduction, off-loading, pressure redistribution, the need for special mattress....devices."
Little by little, we believe the essentials of the NDF Prevention Protocol (Advances in Skin & Wound Care, July 2008) are being acted upon by hospital officials.
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