• Joyce Pittman, Terrie Beeson, Jill Dillon, Ziyi Yang, and Janet Cuddigan.
• Joyce Pittman was a nurse practitioner and coordinator, Wound/Ostomy Department, Indiana University Health Academic Health Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, and is currently an associate professor, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama. Terrie Beeson is a clinical nurse specialist for surgical intensive care, and Jill Dillon is a clinical nurse specialist for surgical trauma intensive care, Indiana University Health Academic Health Center. Ziyi Yang is a biostatistician, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis. Janet Cuddigan is a professor, College of Nursing, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska. joyce.pittman@comcast.net.
• Am. J. Crit. Care. 2019 Sep 1; 28 (5): 338-350.

BackgroundDespite prevention strategies, hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) continue to occur, especially in critical care, raising the question whether some pressure injuries are unavoidable.ObjectivesTo determine the proportion of HAPIs among patients in critical and progressive care units that are unavoidable, and to identify risk factors that differentiate avoidable from unavoidable HAPIs.MethodsThis study used a descriptive retrospective design. Data collected included demographic information, Braden Scale scores, clinical risk factors, and preventive interventions. The Pressure Ulcer Prevention Inventory was used to categorize HAPIs as avoidable or unavoidable.ResultsA total of 165 patients participated in the study. Sixty-seven HAPIs (41%) were unavoidable. Participants who had congestive heart failure (odds ratio [OR], 0.22; 95% CI, 0.06-0.76; P = .02), were chemically sedated (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.20-0.72; P = .003), had systolic blood pressure below 90 mm Hg (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.27-0.99; P = .047), and received at least 1 vasopressor (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.23-0.86; P = .01) were less likely to have an unavoidable HAPI. Those with bowel management devices were more likely to have an unavoidable HAPI (OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.02-4.71; P = .04). When length of stay was incorporated into the regression model, for each 1-day increase in stay, the odds of an unavoidable pressure injury developing increased by 4% (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.002-1.08; P = .04). Participants who had a previous pressure injury were 5 times more likely to have an unavoidable HAPI (OR, 5.27; 95% CI, 1.20-23.15; P = .03).ConclusionsUnavoidable HAPIs do occur; moreover, when preventive interventions are not documented and implemented appropriately, avoidable HAPIs occur.©2019 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

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