The program was designed
to educate staff nurses to serve as a resource
for their colleagues on issues related to pressure ulcer
assessment, identification and prevention. With
the support of nursing administration, nurses from
six clinical units were selected based on the following
guidelines: one-year employment as a staff RN in
the hospital, recommendation from their unit director
and an interest in pressure ulcer prevention and
life-long learning. Preparatory education included
participation in a 12-h educational curriculum
developed by the master’s prepared Wound Center’s
program director in collaboration with the
gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist. The course
focused on the deficiencies identified in the literature
and includes evidence-supported risk assessment
modalities, identification and staging/
documentation of wounds and pressure ulcers, prevention/
intervention strategies for pressure-related
ulcers, etiology and treatment of moisture
associated skin damage and age related pressure ulcer
risk factors. In addition, the hospital librarian
provided a course on the use of software programs
to enhance the Resource Nurses’ access to sources
of information in the literature.