In 2023, nearly half of Kaiser Roseville’s 36 Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPIs) were attributed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). To address this challenge, the ICU initiated a nurse driven pilot of the AirTap system in July 2023.
The AirTap is an innovative patient repositioning system that uses air-assisted technology to reduce the physical effort required to move patients. This system helps prevent pressure injuries by offloading pressure points, minimizing friction and shear, and managing moisture during patient repositioning. Before the system was adopted and implemented in October 2023, the majority of ICU staff received training on the new technology, with Safe Patient Handling classes incorporating AirTap. Since the system’s introduction, positioning related pressure injuries have decreased by 81% in the ICU, marking a successful step toward improving patient safety and care outcomes.