Zeroing in on Safety: Lakeridge Health Conducts First-Ever Hospital-Wide Pressure Injury Survey
At Lakeridge Health, ensuring the safety, comfort, and well-being of our patients is at the heart of everything we do. A key aspect of this is preventing pressure injuries—also known as bedsores—which can develop when someone remains in the same position for too long without relief. These injuries can be painful, slow to heal, and, in some cases, lead to serious complications.
To strengthen our prevention efforts, we recently conducted our first-ever hospital-wide International Pressure Ulcer Prevention Injury (IPUP) Survey from March 24 to 28, 2025. This initiative gathered important data from all inpatient units — except Mental Health and the Women’s and Children’s Program— to help us better understand how and why pressure injuries occurand, most importantly, how to prevent them.
The IPUP Survey is part of a global effort to enhance patient care. As the largest database of its kind, it brings together more than 1,000 health-care facilities worldwide, collecting data from over 100,000 patients annually. By participating, we can benchmark our results against national and international standards, ensuring we follow best practices and continually improve care.
This initiative also aligns with the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario’s (RNAO) Best Practice Guideline on the Assessment and Management of Pressure Injuries for the Interprofessional Team. As a Best Practice Spotlight Organization, Lakeridge Health has been dedicated to implementing these evidence-based guidelines.
A key part of this work is the leadership of our 130+ Wound Care Champions, including Jessica Hubbard, a Registered Practice Nurse on the Rehabilitation Unit at Whitby Hospital."Participating in the survey helped us better understand patient needs and identify areas for improvement," says Jessica. “Ultimately, this kind of proactive approach supports better patient outcomes by helping us catch issues early, implement effective interventions, and improve overall quality of care.”
The success of this initiative reflects the power of collaboration across all five Lakeridge Health hospital sites— Ajax Pickering, Bowmanville, Oshawa, Port Perry and Whitby. By working together, our teams are strengthening patient safety and driving continuous improvement. This survey supports our Zeroing in on Safety priority and aligns with our 2025/2026 corporate objective of providing the safest possible care. Led by Taleen Encarnacao, Clinical Practice Leader, and Leslie Richards, Clinical Nurse Specialist, we will now conduct this survey quarterly to ensure ongoing progress in early detection and prevention.
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