Hospital-acquired skin lesions in the neonatal intensive care unit: A retrospective analysis of temporal trends and quality improvement strategies

Purpose: Skin lesions in neonatal population are an emerging problem deserving attention from health care professionals. The purpose of this study is to retrospectively assess the incidence of hospital-acquired skin lesions during a 6-year period and to describe the characteristics of infants who developed them.

Design and methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted in a university-tertiary care center between 2015 and 2020. A descriptive analysis of the observed skin lesions is presented according to 2 time periods: 1) the implementation phase of a quality improvement program (2015-2019) and 2) the postimplementation phase (2020).

Results: Our findings showed an apparent increase in the incidence of all reported skin lesions throughout the study period. Pressure injuries were the most frequently reported skin lesions showing an increasing incidence over time which, however, was paralleled by a reduction in their severity. Among pressure injuries, device-related injuries were the most commonly observed (56.6% and 62.5% in the two periods, respectively) with nasal continuous positive airway pressure-related injuries accounting for 71.7% and 56.0% of lesions, respectively, and mainly affecting the nose root. The occipital area was the most frequently involved site in cases of conventional pressure injuries.

Conclusion: Infants admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units may be at high risk of developing skin lesions. The adoption of appropriate preventative as well as treatment interventions could be effective in reducing the severity of pressure injuries.

Practice implications: The implementation of quality improvement strategies may contribute to prevent skin injuries or lead to their early detection.