CLOVE LAKES HEALTH CARE AND REHABILITATION CENTER, INC.

Standing from left: Anthony Cicero, Clinical Coordinator of Dietary Services, Stephanie Burke, Rehab. Nurse, Christine Bilal, Wound Care Nurse, Dr. Thomas Fealey, Medical Director
Bottom from left: Mary Clifford, Administrative Director of Clinical Services, Maria Bacayo, Physical Therapy Director.

Clove Lakes Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Inc. is a 576-bed facility with a diverse population, encompassing 20 nursing units of short-term and long-term care residents.

As per Mary Clifford, Administrative Director of Clinical Services, the Clove Lakes Quality Improvement program features a collaborative team approach. In 2004, looking at the PU quality measure and recognizing room for improvement, the facility formed an interdisciplinary wound care team to focus efforts on the preconditions of PU development, enhancement of facility protocols, consistent wound classification, timely prevention and treatment activities, and ultimately reduction in the number of in-house acquired pressure ulcers. In addition, a 24-hour, 7-day a week hands on PU prevention crusade was initiated inclusive of all PU team members, headed by the Administrative Director of Clinical Services and the Medical Director. Formalized PU training was offered to all levels of staff involved in resident care, and competency levels were established. PU tracking and statistical data were shared among the QI group at "morning report" and follow-up interactions were discussed. The facility assured the availability of adaptive devices at all times including weekends and "off hours" to ensure prompt intervention for late evening and Friday night admissions. These efforts and ongoing QI activities have helped Clove Lakes improve its PU quality measure rate by 46% (Q2 2004 - Q2 2007).

The team at Clove Lakes is very proud of its successful approaches to the pressure ulcer clinical care focus. Similar interdisciplinary practice with respect to the physical restraint quality measure has resulted in a 75% decrease in use of physical restraints at the facility (Q2 2004 - Q2 2007). Continued quality improvement activities will no doubt help the facility sustain the quality improvement gains it has worked so very hard to achieve.