Bayside Health - Alfred Hospital

patient safetyKeeping About Bayside Health You SafeTips to Prevent Pressure Ulcers:• The best thing you can dois relieve the pressure bykeeping active and changingyour position frequently,whether you are lying in bedor sitting in a chair• If you are unable to moveyourself, alert staff to helpchange your position regularly• Tell staff if you have anytenderness or soreness over abony area or if you notice anyreddened, blistered or brokenskin• Avoid rubbing or massagingyour skin over bony parts ofyour body.1. Pressure Ulcer PreventionPressure ulcers or bed sores are unfortunately a common problem in hospitalsand are recognised internationally as one of the five most common causes ofharm to patients.Patients at greatest risk of developing pressure ulcers are those who are frail,elderly or immobile for long periods of time. This high risk group makes up alarge proportion of people treated at Bayside Health.Bayside Health has achieved a decrease of 10 per cent in the incidence ofpressure ulcers during each of the past three years, which equates to 30 percent improvement.2. Reducing the Risk of InfectionMultiple Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA), which is commonly known as goldenstaph, is an ongoing problem for all hospitals. A series of interventions has beenimplemented at The Alfred since 2003 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) becausepatients in this area are considered to be at particularly high risk. These includethe introduction of:• A gel-based hand wash product in the ICU and the use of an “antibioticresistant organism” sign for anyone found to be harbouring MRSA.• A hospital-wide staff feedback program using control charts. These chartsidentify specific limits that demonstrate visually to staff to take action wheneverthe limits are exceeded.Mike KennedyFollowing these interventions, there was a statistically significant reduction inMRSA both in ICU and throughout the hospital. During the past year, BaysideHealth has also participated in the Victorian Quality Council’s Hand HygieneProject.Mike Kennedy is the Executive Director of the Victorian AIDS Council/Gay Men’sHealth Centre and has been a member of the Bayside Health Community AdvisoryCommittee (CAC) since its inception.“The Infection Control Committee has benefited from having regular input from acommunity and health consumer perspective. The CAC has had regular briefingson key issues from infection control and infectious diseases staff, and has had theopportunity to comment on patient fact sheets on infection control issues”, he said.8 Bayside Health