Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
4-28-2026
First Advisor
Sandy King
Second Advisor
Jason Weger
Abstract
Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) increase patients' risk of infection, prolonged hospitalization, death, and healthcare costs. The Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) has shown that implementing a standardized skin assessment process and a care bundle helps prevent skin injuries. A critical care unit (CCU) at an acute care 339-bed hospital in Southaven, MS, has seen an increase in HAPIs. This quality improvement project aimed to educate CCU nurses about the Braden Scale and the SSKIN care bundle to impact pressure injuries in the CCU within 8 weeks. Education on the Braden Scale and the Skin, Sensory, Keep Moving, Incontinence, and Nutrition (SSKIN) care bundle was selected because it aligns with hospital policies and current evidence-based practice. The project design was a pre- and post-intervention quasi-experimental study. The population was CCU nurses at an acute care hospital, and the sample size is (n=25). Data was collected from chart audits and monthly HAPI incident reports. The method involved education on the Braden Scale and the SSKIN bundle. Donabedian's Theoretical Model and Lewin’s Change Theory model created the project's implementation framework. The pre- and post-test t–test results indicated a clinically significant increase in staff knowledge t(24) = -7.26, p < .001. Chart audits increased by 26% in correct documentation, and HAPI incidents decreased by 57%. Limitations included the small sample size and the use of hospital-specific education. The project's significance is its potential to reduce HAPIs and improve patient care.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Garrett, Andrea, "Quality Improvement Project : Educating Critical Care Nurses on Braden Scale and SSKIN Care Bundle to Impact Pressure Injuries" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 342.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/342
