Pressure sore prevention in a rehabilitation setting: implementing a programmatic approach.

The prevalence of pressure sores and the number of patients at risk for developing pressure sores in the rehabilitation setting support the need for designated resources and interventions for both prevention and management. Today's healthcare environment, with increasing patient acuity and decreasing length of stays, requires nurses to have strategies for delivering and documenting care without increasing workload. This article describes an approach that directs nursing activities, incorporates aspects of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research clinical practice guidelines, and links care processes and outcomes with documentation.