Increasing Competence in Pressure Injury Prevention Using Competency-Based Education in Adult Intensive Care Unit

Background: There is a significant focus on pressure injury prevention to promote better patient outcomes and control health care cost. Local Problem: In 2016, the institution's pressure injury quarterly prevalence survey showed that two-thirds of the patients surveyed who developed unit-acquired pressure injury stage 2 and greater were in the adult intensive care units. Methods: The quality improvement project used a pre- and postintervention design. Interventions: The adult medical intensive care unit (MICU) executed a competency-based education project to increase staff implementation of pressure injury prevention. Results: Following initiation of competency-based education, staff documentation of pressure injury prevention implementation increased, and unit-acquired pressure injury stage 2 and greater rates were reduced. Conclusions: The use of a competency-based education program may be effective in increasing pressure injury prevention in the intensive care unit.