Between late 2020 and mid-2022, the hospital’s cardiothoracic intensive care unit had a higher average prevalence rate of pressure injuries (11.01%) than the national benchmark (6.22%). To address this problem, for each risk identified, the 10-bed unit implemented the Cubbin-Jackson scale with corresponding pressure injury prevention interventions.
After using the new scale for eight weeks, the prevalence rate of pressure injuries fell 67.84%, from 22.2% to 7.14%. Three patients developed pressure injuries within 72 hours of surgery, compared to four patients in the preintervention group.
The unit’s standard of care already included skin assessment at each nursing shift, risk assessment using the Braden scale, and the SKIN care bundle protocol.
Results were published in Critical Care Nurse.
Sunday Caldwell, DNP, NP, director of cardiac intensive care at the hospital and the study’s author, wrote in conclusion that the Cubbin-Jackson scale should be investigated in other ICUs and incorporated into EHRs.