Comparing the Cumulative Incidence of Pressure Injuries Using Multilayer Foam Dressings in Seriously Ill and Frail Patients: A Quality Improvement Project.

Maintaining skin integrity is benchmarked for patient safety and quality of care. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the incidence of pressure ulcers in high-risk, seriously ill patients from critical care areas comparing the number of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) after implementation of a new silicone multi-layer foam dressing with the number of HAPIs developed during a period in the previous year within which other silicone multi-layer foam dressings were used for prevention. This study took place in three intensive care units (ICUs) including 326 patients from three community-based hospitals in Massachusetts. The cumulative incidence during the study period was 0% as opposed to 0.32% from the previous year. Multi-layer foam dressings are beneficial for pressure ulcer prevention, taking into consideration the cost-effectiveness of care and optimal patient outcomes.