8 3
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
'Skin is in'
The changes worked. Since implementing the new protocols and posi-
tioning tools, we've dramatically cut the number of pressure ulcers
acquired in surgery from 9 in 2011 to just 1 in 2013. We're continuing
to assess our progress and develop even better ways to combat skin
injuries, making sure that staff remember that "skin is in." OSM
Ms. Pipping (
melanie.pipping@ynhh.org
) is a nurse in the perioperative
department at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Conn.
P R E S S U R E U L C E R S
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
IV REMINDERS When positioning patients, staff should be aware
of IV tubing that can be caught underneath a pressure point.
