pressure ulcer improvement team
An improvement project led by a team at Watford General Hospital has resulted in over 2,500 pressure ulcer-free days for patients needing to wear ventilation masks.
Tight-fitting masks, used as part of a treatment known as non-invasive ventilation (NIV), helps to treat people whose lungs don’t work effectively due to acute respiratory disease or muscle weakness.
The NIV mask is critical to the effectiveness of this type of treatment but it does need to be worn continuously for long periods. This can leave the patient at risk of developing an ulcer caused by pressure, notably across the bridge of the nose, which can be painful and uncomfortable.
NIV practitioner Adam Rochester and his team used a Quality Improvement project to prevent pressure ulcers developing by identifying alternate masks. These deliver the same treatment in a less painful way.
Adam said: “This is a big step in improving comfort for patients wearing ventilation masks. It has been a real team effort, and the wider team’s commitment and support has been essential to the success of this initiative.
“The project saw great engagement and support from the nursing team involved in the care of these patients, and the Trust's Quality Improvement team contributed to ensure the project reached its full potential.”
The changes implemented by the team are now standard practice at West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Watford General, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans City hospitals.
Work continues on the project, and the research has also been published nationally on the BMJ Open Quality website.