Date of this Version
12-1-2025
Document Type
DNP Project
Abstract
Pressure injuries (PIs), or pressure ulcers, are a patient safety concern that can be avoided in countless cases. They put much strain on the residents and their caregivers, significantly burdening the healthcare system, especially long-term care and geriatrics. There remains a sharp discordance between the delivery of evidence-based recommendations on PIs and their practice delivery into care. Poor caregivers' knowledge has often explained this gap, as well as a lack of positive attitude, insufficient practical skills, and organizational flaws in healthcare institutions. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project report describes a quality improvement (QI) initiative supporting the reduction of this evidence-practice gap. The suggestions concern installing and assessing a specific education curriculum for the caregivers in a long-term care facility. The report gives a multi-dimensional introduction to the problem, synthesizes the background evidence based on the key literature, and outlines the project's methodology in detail. The project is informed by systematic reviews of the effectiveness of training programs, obstacles to the implementation, and effective QI models. The goal is to improve caregivers' competencies, and, by extension, the compliance with the best practices, the quality of care, and the number and severity of PIs in vulnerable older adults. The likely outcomes of successful implementation will include positive changes in patient outcomes, personal confidence, and caregiver satisfaction, resulting in significant cost savings for healthcare facilities.
Recommended Citation
Perrett, Vera, "Enhancing Pressure Injury Prevention Among Long-Term Care Residents with Cognitive Impairment Through Specialized Staff Training: A Quality Improvement Project" (2025). Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing Student Projects. 380.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/cnhs-studentprojects/380