Ability, incentives, and management feedback: organizational change to reduce pressure ulcers in a nursing home

Quality improvement (QI) processes in nursing homes are highly variable and often ineffective. This study evaluated an innovative QI process to reduce pressure ulcers (PUs) in a nursing home with a high rate of PUs.

This was a 48-week, longitudinal study comparing the incidence of PUs during 12-week baseline and intervention and post-intervention periods.

Not-for-profit, 136-bed nursing home in urban Western Pennsylvania.

All residents and all staff at the nursing home participated in this study.

The intervention consisted of 3 components: Ability enhancement, incentivization, and management feedback. To enhance ability, all staff members completed a computer-based interactive video education program on PU prevention and were mandated to use penlights to promote early detection. Incentivization included $75 for each staff member if the desired reduction in PU incidence was achieved. Management feedback provided real-time information of staff"s adherence to the mandated training.

Outcome measures consisted of staff's adherence to mandated training and the incidence of new PUs during the baseline period compared to the intervention and post-intervention periods.

Management responded to noncompliance with training with both rewards and stepped discipline. Adherence to protocol, as measured by training compliance, was 100%. There was a significant reduction (P < .05) in the incidence of stage 2 or worse PUs during the intervention period. During the post-intervention periods, the effect was lost.

An innovative QI initiative resulted in a significant decrease in PUs in 1 facility. This intervention was not sustainable when the 3 components of the QI intervention were no longer actively maintained.