O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 5 1
Because the
scale requires staff
to assess risk fac-
tors at each step in
the surgical
process, Einstein's
staff keeps a hard-
copy of the assess-
ment tool with
patients as they
move from pre-op
to PACU. The health system plans on adding the tool to its elec-
tronic health record to make documentation easier and stream-
line the sharing of risk scores.
Getting buy-in from staff was critical to the initiative's suc-
cess, says Ms. Brown, who adds that it's important to hold staff
accountable to using the scale and initiating pressure injury pre-
ventative measures for at-risk patients.
Using the Munro Scale and making sure staff follow best
practices for preventing pressure injuries have helped
Einstein's surgical team accomplish their initial goal. But Ms.
Brown has noticed another unexpected benefit. "Not only has
the injury rate dropped, but we've also noticed that discussions
about skin care are now routine throughout the surgical
department," says Ms. Brown. "It's been a big improvement."
— Kendal Gapinski
• EASY ACCESS Einstein Healthcare Network ensures staff use positioning
aids that protect patients' skin.
