Impact of staff education on pressure sore development in elderly hospitalized patients.

To test the hypothesis that an educational program alone without the introduction of new technology could result in both higher quality care and cost savings, the incidence of development of pressure sores among patients over the age of 65 years was concurrently reviewed before and after an education program developed and disseminated by a skin care team composed of physicians and nurses. Before the education program, 18 (14.6%) of 123 patients with no pressure sores developed pressure sores during their hospital admission. After the education program, only six (5.4%) of 105 patients who entered the hospital with intact skin developed a pressure sore during their hospital stay. The data show that an educational program was effective in decreasing by 63% the development of pressure sores in an elderly hospitalized population. Furthermore, a cost savings of $74,372 in the use of special care beds was realized.