Department of Health

The second stage of the Improving Care for Older People (ICOP) program operated in Victoria from 2010 to 2013. Across Victoria, 35 public health services participated in the initiative, including all metropolitan health services. As part of the program, they were required to undertake initiatives to minimise the risk of functional decline in older patients and improve the provision of care in four areas:

  • Evidence-based environmental improvements
  • Organisation-wide policy development that provides a framework for improving care for older people across the organisation
  • Embedding the evidence base contained within The Toolkit to inform models of care to minimise functional decline for older people, with a focus on acute settings
  • Professional development activities to support workforce capacity building to better respond to the needs of older people in hospital settings

Outlined is a snapshot of the types of initiatives taken by health services relating to skin integrity.

Health Service

Requirement Addressed and Project Summary

Albury Wodonga Health

Models of Care - Skin integrity poster distributed to acute admissions

Austin Health

Models of Care – Focus on implementing nurse rounding – pressure injury prevention one focus of rounding

Professional Development – Falls and Pressure injury prevention training (four study days held)

East Grampians Health Service

Policy Development – Improving Care for Older Persons (ICOP) principles embedded in Pressure Injury Prevention and Management policy

Models of Care - Pressure Injury Prevention and Management Plans developed; Braden Scale included in global screen; bedside audits for Pressure Injury risk completed; consumer brochure developed

Professional Development - Held “Move…ember Week” to raise staff awareness of Pressure Injury risk; to be held annually

Professional Development - Education on use of Braden scale and skin assessment form

Eastern Health

Models of Care – Work standard for optimising skin integrity

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

Environmental Improvements, Policy Development, Models of Care, Professional Development – ‘One per bum’ initiative: surveyed for existing barriers which were identified as lack of equipment and lack of staff awareness; 560 preventative cushions (1 per inpatient), 200 heel wedges and 20 cameras purchased; staff education and user guide developed; Skintastic Expo held

Wimmera Health Care Group

Policy Development - Skin Integrity Policy developed; Implementation of screening of all patients over 16 years for skin integrity –using Waterlow Pressure Injury Risk Assessment Scale (WPIRAS)

Models of Care - All patients over 16 years screened using WPIRAS, regular audits of compliance and for management of injury

Professional Development - Wound care training completed by over 250 staff via ‘Train the Trainer’ model – ongoing; staff education on use of screening and assessment for skin integrity

Reviewed 05 October 2015

Health.vic

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