he med-surg health care environment is constantly changing, driving complexity in care. The most recent findings from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services state that pressure injuries develop in nearly 2.5 million patients annually, representing 8.3% of hospital admissions; the resulting financial burden for care is estimated to be between $3.3 and $11 billion annually.1 Although most occurrences of hospital-acquired conditions sharply decreased between 2010 and 2017, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported that pressure injuries increased by 6%.2
Pressure injuries develop when there is localized damage to the skin or underlying tissues due to pressure—and sometimes combined with shear—that impacts the skin’s ability to provide oxygen and nutrients and remove waste byproducts … read more