We collect and monitor any pressure injuries that develop or are discovered during a patient stay every month.
This helps us understand who is at risk of developing a pressure injury while in hospital. The number of pressure ulcers is given as the number for every 1000 people staying overnight in hospital (called bed days) during that month.
The information is collected through the organisation’s incident management system, called ‘RiskMan’. Pressure ulcers are noted in each area of the hospital, or ward, and for the organisation.
The rate of pressure injuries for December 2024 was 2.57 per 1000 bed days
How well did we do?
The number of pressure ulcers is given as the number for every 1000 people staying overnight in hospital (called bed days) during that month.
Why is this measure important?
Being in hospital often means your usual activity is restricted and you spend a lot more time in bed. This may lead to pressure injuries.
Measuring the number of pressure injuries helps us understand who is at risk of developing a pressure injury while in hospital. We can then create a care plan with our patients and consumers that will keep them safe while in our care. ‘Care and Outcomes’ is one of our key strategic priorities through improving patient safety.
What are we doing to continue to improve?
We comprehensively assesses every patient for their risk of pressure injuries and talk to them about ways to prevent pressure injuries.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital has a special focus on skin assessment when a patient has a medical device in place that may lead to a pressure injury. This became a focus after identifying that medical devices were the cause of over a quarter of all pressure injuries in the hospital.
How can you help us to prevent pressure injuries?
To help prevent pressure injuries, you can:
- Relieve the pressure by changing your position often, whether you are lying in a bed or sitting in a chair. If you are unable to move yourself, staff can help you to regularly change position.
- Use special equipment such as air mattresses, cushions or booties to help reduce the pressure in particular areas of your body.
- Keep your skin and bedding dry. Let staff know if your bed or chair is damp.
- Be aware of hard surfaces you may be lying against such as plastic tubes or folded sheets.
- Keep your sheet loosely tucked in, to allow more movement and avoid pressure.
- Let staff know if you have any sore, blistered, reddened or broken skin.
Find out more about preventing pressure injuries.