Quality improvement in the nursing sector is a primary goal in the health sector. In the previous years, cases of pressure ulcers are increasing every year. These are far-reaching conditions where patients suffer considerable pain from infected skin lesions. It is, therefore, paramount for hospitals to implement a successful strategy aimed at pressure ulcer prevention.  This strategy will be essential in hospitals that patient’s safety and quality medical care is supreme. Pressure ulcers are caused as a result of decreased blood supply which in turn results to low oxygen levels and nutrient supply in the affected tissues. Unrelieved pressure and pressure combined with friction and shear are leading contributors to the occurrence of pressure ulcer in human skin (Blas & Kurup, 2010). It is paramount to understand that pressure ulcers leads to increased discomfort and in most cases leads to severe, life-threatening infections that leads to increase the length of stay and total costs of care. The quality of health care is also substantially compromised.

The primary objective of this report is providing an executive summary of a project that its introduction of pressure relieving surfaces that minimize the occurrences of pressure sores in surgical patients to the hospital board for approval and funding purposes.

Prevention and management of pressure ulcers remains a primary objective for all the health care providers. In this report, we will emphasize a lot on the importance of using gel filled with overlays in operating surfaces and use of high-specification foam mattresses for post-operative patients and allow project funding (McLaughlin, Johnson & Sollecito, 2012). Having understood the kind of pain experienced by the pressure ulcers patients, it is imperative that we put in place measures that will reduce pain. The idea behind this project is to advocate for surgical patients to be provided with mattresses that are effective in sustaining the required level of pressure that the human body can withstand. Pressure redistribution or pressure relieving remains utmost objective for any health care organization. The introduction of the high-specification foam mattress molds or contours to the body helps to reduce and stops pressure ulcers development to the patients.

The targeted population for this program includes al surgical patients who are undergoing prolonged medical surgeries. Post-operative patients will also be of great concern during the implementation process of this program. Surgical patients are at high risks of contracting pressure ulcers that are an illness whose occurrence is at an accelerating rate. Patients subjected to surgical procedures are in most cases motionless for long periods and are unable to change their lying positions (Vincent, 2010).  Their motionless state increases the risk of pressure ulcers to their skins as compared to other patients who are capable of changing positions.

The paper aims at proving the importance and the urgency required in implementing the program. The health care sector has experienced critical cases of pressure ulcers all over the country.  For instance, these cases in the United States are reported to over 2.5 million patients annually. It is, therefore, wise for health providers to have programs that will help manage and prevent pressure ulcers within the health providers (Healy, 2011). The number of aging population is also rapidly increasing thus necessitating the urgency of implementing this program. It is argued that elderly people with over 65 years are more prone to pressure ulcers than the young generation.

It is paramount to note that most of the pressure ulcers case is as a result of lack of quality care to the patients. With the high-specification foam mattresses, patients undergoing prolonged surgical process will have fewer chances of suffering from pressure ulcers. Negligence and development of such illnesses have resulted in massive losses in terms lawsuit costs. It has been noted that lawsuits over pressure ulcers are a common occurrence with a single case judgment amounting to $ 321 million. By introduction of such a program, the institution can have their financial stability guaranteed over time. Lawsuit costs can be detrimental to the overall success of the health facility provider (Healy, 2011). Most health providers have in the past suffered enormous financial losses from legal issues since it is assumed that pressure ulcers develop as a result of low-quality medical care.

The introduction of high-specification foam mattresses will lead to quality improvement and safety for patients in the health sector. Although the program is a new initiative, the program will have more benefits than costs. This is because the costs of implementing this program will be much less as compared to the incurred costs (Vincent, 2010). The health facility will only incur costs of purchasing these foam mattresses that will be used with the already existing frameworks. The estimated cost of the mattresses is estimated to be $ 540 per bed which is substantially affordable by the management of the hospital. The introduction of this program will not require new staff to work with since their use is not a complicated process. The working staff will only need an orientation program that will enable them to use these foam mattresses effectively to improve the patients’ safety and reduce pressure ulcers development.

To sum it up, the issue of pressure ulcers is a common occurrence in the modern health setting. It is, therefore, essential for the hospital board to invest heavily in such an important program that will help reduce the adverse conditions from our patients. The management board and other policy makers in this health sector should critically analyze this summary and ensure funding for improved patients safety and quality care (Blas & Kurup, 2010). Caregivers and patients operating in this health setting will greatly benefit from the implementation of this program.

References

Blas, E., & Kurup, A. (2010). Equity, social determinants and public health programmes. Switzerland: World Health Organization.

Healy, J. (2011). Improving health care safety and quality. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate.

McLaughlin, C., Johnson, J., & Sollecito, W. (2012). Implementing continuous quality improvement in health care. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Sollecito, W., & Johnson, J. (2012). McLaughlin and Kaluzny’s continuous quality improvement in health care. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Vincent, C. (2010). Patient Safety. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

 
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