Stop them at the door: should a pressure ulcer prevention protocol be implemented in the emergency department?
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the feasibility of implementing a Pressure Ulcer Prevention Protocol in the emergency department (ED).


METHODS
Using data abstraction, a descriptive analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between ED length of stay and hospital-acquired pressure ulcers for those patients who were directly admitted to the hospital from the ED.


RESULTS
During 2006, 32,664 patients sought medical attention through the ED. Seventy-five percent of the total patient population admitted was admitted from the ED. One hundred twenty-five of those patients developed hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, 99.2% of which had an ED length of stay greater than 2 hours prior to hospital admission.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings of this study suggest early nursing interventions are needed to prevent hospital-acquired pressure ulcers.
Denby
Abby
A
Martha Jefferson Hospital, Charlottesville, Virginia 22902, USA. abby.denby@mjh.org
Rowlands
Aletha
A
D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors