Pressure Ulcers
Approximately 19,000 people reside in Kansas (KS) nursing homes. The Standard Analytic Report (SAR) for Quarter 3, 2007 cites the High Risk Pressure Ulcer (HR PrU) rate for Kansas at 9.70%, or greater than 1,800 lives affected by a pressure ulcer, most unnecessarily. The impact on quality of life, increased pain, and costs associated with pressure ulcers have been well documented.
Although Kansas Nursing Homes have been successful with decreasing the rates of HR PrUs, there is still an identified need to continue improvement in these areas across the state. Adherence to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) practice guidelines on prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers, along with a sound understanding of quality improvement methods is lacking in many nursing homes in the state. Adoption of these components, in addition to a resident-centered environment, is necessary to be able to continue to show progress towards decreasing the occurrence of pressure ulcers in long-term care.
Measure
Percent of high-risk long-stay residents who have pressure sores.