that are reported directly to the National Database of Nursing
Quality Indicators and reflect on the overall care your facility pro-
vides. And rightly so. By and large, these injuries shouldn't happen
— especially to same-day surgery patients. Preventing PIs essential-
ly comes down to empowering those on the frontlines of patient
care. These caregivers are the ones who have the biggest impact in
implementing patient safety protocols. As facility leaders, we have
the responsibility to provide them with the knowledge and the tools
they need to protect patients from unnecessary harm. If we do this
right and make it a priority, pressure injuries will truly become
never events.
OSM
A P R I L 2 0 2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 5 3
Ms. Kooiker (heatherkooiker@gmail.com) is a clinical consultant for the nurs-
ing faculty of Davenport University and an RN first assistant for the Centre for
Plastic Surgery, both of which are in Grand Rapids, Mich.
