Skin and Wound Care Blitz, January 2009

-What puts patients at high risk for developing pressure sores?
-How do you properly document skin breakdowns in Epic?
-Is one ointment better than another for certain kinds of sores?
-What role does nutrition play in the healing of skin wounds?

These are the kinds of questions that nurses and clinical partners from all SJHW units (except OB and Surgery) brushed up on in an "internal health care" of sorts, called the Skin and Wound Care Blitz. It was held over three days in January. Nursing staff members were able to visit a variety of different stations, where they were able to see and feel the difference in wound care products, measure and identify sores, taste nutritional supplement products and play out wound care scenarios, among other activities.

So why all the extra education? "Unfortunately, the SJHW population in general is at high risk," explains Mary Pagano-Lampe, RN, staff development specialist for the SSMSTL North Operating Group. "We have the elderly, we have people with fragile skin, we have patients that aren't well nourished. So as soon as they come to the hospital, we need to know that, so we can prevent any further skin breakdown or prevent it from happening altogether."

Pagano-Lampe points out that even patients who are extremely well cared for can develop pressure ulcers, like actor Christopher Reeve, who actually died as a result of complications from an infected pressure ulcer. Nurses like Nathan Seely, RN, SJHW float pool, said they really enjoyed the extra training. "I felt it was very informative. We might see a big wound one day, then not see another one for a couple of weeks or a month, so this is a good refresher."

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• SSM
• St. Louis
• Skin and Wound Care Blitz
• health
• care
• epic
• skin
• healing
• patients