What effect does a wearable patient sensor have on the prevention of pressure injuries
Disciplines
Nursing
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Pressure injuries occur in the skin of hospitalized patients due to constant pressure on bony prominences throughout the body. The incidence of pressure injuries occurs in 11% of hospitalizations worldwide and can range in incidence between 8-40% of hospitalized patients in the United States. Pressure injuries or ulcers are the third most costly disease and cause approximately 60,000 deaths annually. Each health care associated pressure injury costs on average $21,767, so a reduction in these injuries results in a significant decrease in cost each year. Among the top two most effective treatment modalities are repositioning of patients with set protocols and pressure injury prevention bundles, which most often include repositioning protocols. Repositioning has been shown to lower the incidence of pressure injuries and decrease their prevalence. While routine repositioning of patients is the standard of care in pressure injury prevention, compliance with protocols is hard to maintain due to the busy nature and demands of critical care. Wearable patient sensors that detect positioning and cue nursing staff when it is time to reposition patients has been shown to increase compliance with pressure injury prevention protocols. The purpose of this study is to look at the effect a wearable patient sensor has on the prevention of pressure injuries in acutely ill patients in the hospital. The hospital will obtain adequate number of devices and train staff on proper placement and use of these devices. Patients with a Braden score less than 18 will receive a wearable sensor that detects position and cues nurses when it is time to reposition high risk patients. The study will look at the incidence of pressure injuries for six months after implementing this device and compare it to the retrospective data of the previous year.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
Nursing
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Dr. Christie Emerson
Additional Faculty
Evah Wangungu, Nursing, ewangung@kennesaw.edu
What effect does a wearable patient sensor have on the prevention of pressure injuries
Pressure injuries occur in the skin of hospitalized patients due to constant pressure on bony prominences throughout the body. The incidence of pressure injuries occurs in 11% of hospitalizations worldwide and can range in incidence between 8-40% of hospitalized patients in the United States. Pressure injuries or ulcers are the third most costly disease and cause approximately 60,000 deaths annually. Each health care associated pressure injury costs on average $21,767, so a reduction in these injuries results in a significant decrease in cost each year. Among the top two most effective treatment modalities are repositioning of patients with set protocols and pressure injury prevention bundles, which most often include repositioning protocols. Repositioning has been shown to lower the incidence of pressure injuries and decrease their prevalence. While routine repositioning of patients is the standard of care in pressure injury prevention, compliance with protocols is hard to maintain due to the busy nature and demands of critical care. Wearable patient sensors that detect positioning and cue nursing staff when it is time to reposition patients has been shown to increase compliance with pressure injury prevention protocols. The purpose of this study is to look at the effect a wearable patient sensor has on the prevention of pressure injuries in acutely ill patients in the hospital. The hospital will obtain adequate number of devices and train staff on proper placement and use of these devices. Patients with a Braden score less than 18 will receive a wearable sensor that detects position and cues nurses when it is time to reposition high risk patients. The study will look at the incidence of pressure injuries for six months after implementing this device and compare it to the retrospective data of the previous year.