Abstract
We conducted a questionnaire survey on wound, ostomy and continence nurses (WOCNs) and the nurse administrators in charge of these nurses at a total of 189 hospitals in order to analyze items affecting the incidence of pressure ulcers as quality indicators for pressure ulcer management systems.
Structure requirements were “Physicians have a sufficient knowledge of pressure ulcers”, “Nurse Managers have much education”, “WOCNs have presentation skills, such as giving lectures”, and “Staff nurses have awareness of prevention of compression wounds associated with bilevel positive airway pressure, tubes, etc.” These items were related to incidence of pressure ulcers and considered quality indicators for personnel responsible for measures against pressure ulcers. In addition, “Provision of facilities and benefits to WOCNs by hospital directors” was thought to be an indicator of environmental maintenance for pressure ulcer management systems.
As process requirements, indicators for the top managers, the responsible nurse administrators, WOCNs, occupational and physical therapists, link nurses, and staff nurses were identified.
Although five items on the Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders Project Quality Index (ACOVEQI) were found to be related to incidence, it is not reasonable to suppose that they could be used as targets or guality indicators, but they could be used as minimum requirements for pressure ulcer management systems in hospitals with WOCNs.
As an outcome requirement, a sense of reward associated with work among WOCNs was thought to be an indicator.
