Preventing device-related pressure ulcers

Staff at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WHH) have completely eliminated occurrences of device related pressure ulcers at their hospitals since March 2015. In response to identifying six grade three, device-related pressure ulcers in 2014-2015, a range of actions have been delivered through a multidisciplinary working group. The group consisted of staff working across the organisation in tissue viability, governance, the plaster room and therapies.

Key actions included:
•an innovative red band placed around plaster casts for easy, high impact visual identification of high risk patients on the wards
•a single point lesson for all staff
•a red alert sticker for the patient’s notes
•core competencies for orthopaedic nursing staff to support high quality care