A pressure ulcer prevention program.

The prevention and management of pressure ulcers often creates challenging situations requiring specialized knowledge and expert, consistent nursing care. In order to promote pressure ulcer prevention and control costs at a 350-bed community hospital, a "Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program" was developed. This program was developed upon completion of a baseline audit determining the extent of skin problems, equipment in use, and nursing documentation regarding skin care. Five months after initiation of the program, a second audit was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. An overall decrease in pressure ulcer incidence was found and the documentation of pressure ulcer prevention was improved.