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The conference entitled 'Essential Wound Care Education for Qualified Healthcare Practitioners' covered many of the integral aspects of wound care pressure ulcer management and leg ulcer care. Opened by Keith Harding, the conference began with a look at the recent advances in wound assessment and diagnosis (AWM, WBP and TIME). Of particular importance has been the recognition of the role of concurrent illness and in doing so ensuring an more holistic approach to the care of the patient. In addition, the role of infection in relation to accurate diagnosis and treatment has been the source of much debate. Heather Newton examined accountability in the field of wound care and how this may impact on our future practice. The apparent increase in litigation is set to continue and therefore those of us in the field of tissue viability must be aware of the situations which may put our patients and ourselves at risk. Topics covered included the use of digital images and the role of the nurse in sharp debridement of wounds. Often at conferences there are many presentations which depict the treatment of large cavernous stage 4 pressure ulcers, however, Martyn Butcher provided an extremely useful insight into the more common, and potentially more difficult to treat, superficial pressure ulcers. Alison Coull examined the changing trends in leg ulcer care and in doing so touched on the role of guidelines for practice, changes in client groups , changes in leg assessment and also the latest developments in compression therapy. Wound infection was revisited by Andrew Kingsley who discussed the benefits of utilising wound assessment tools and in of particular interest was the issue of recurent infection in patients with chronic wounds. Kath Vowden possibly had the most difficult task of the day in addressing the problems of dressing selection for complex wounds.
The overarching principles of health protection have been driven by an increasing need to examine practice within health care in order to trace, record and monitor rates of infection or other hazards, with a view to changing practice and reduce the risks. The HPS overall aim is to work, in partnership with others, to protect the public from being exposed to hazards which damage their health and to limit any impact on health when such exposures cannot be avoided. (HPS webite) Key functions of Health Protection include monitoring the hazards and exposures affecting the public and the impact these have on peoples health, coordinating health protection activity and facilitating response to outbreaks and incidents. In addition a key role is to provide feedback and advice on how to improve health protection within organisations. Included in the functions are the mandatory monitoring of surgical site infection, MRSA and urinary catheter related infection. In collating this data the HPS and HPA are able to feedback to organisations on how they can minimise risk based on the research evidence available. For staff involved in wound care at any level whether regularly treating acute or complex wounds, the data produced is invaluable and the methodologies used could be utilised in recording wound infection in complex wounds. Currently in Scotland a point prevalence study is being organised which will involve huge patient numbers in order to find out the socioeconomic burden of Hospital Aquired infection. The audit tools have been standarised and the HPS will take an active part in the data collection. It is in being aware of the work of HPA and HPS that we can begin to make links from wound, pressure ulcer and leg ulcer care management in order to help develop local and potentially national databases which could contain information on infection rates, treatment regimes and eventually complex wound outcomes.
Wounds UK launched this supplement at the recent conference in Old Trafford. The supplement brings together the work of many experts in all areas of wound management, on the subject of wound exudate and moisture management. Often exudate and moisture levels are glossed over in clinical articles and in many cases authors focus on necrosis and infection. I felt this work was long overdue and hopefully, this collaboration will keep the debate surrounding moisture levels and exudate quality in the headlines for the foreseeable future. Available from Wounds Uk and Smith and Nephew Healthcare.
Marston, W. A.; Usala, A.; Hill, R. S.; Mendes, R.; Minsley, M. A. Initial report of the use of an injectable porcine collagen-derived matrix to stimulate healing of diabetic foot wounds in humans. WOUND REPAIR AND REGENERATION VOL 13; NUMBER 3; 2005, pp. 243-247 Jackson, C. J.; Xue, M.; Thompson, P.; Davey, R. A.; Whitmont, K.; Smith, S.; Buisson-Legendre, N.; Sztynda, T.; Furphy, L. J.; Cooper: Activated protein C prevents inflammation yet stimulates angiogenesis to promote cutaneous wound healing J p WOUND REPAIR AND REGENERATION, VOL 13; NUMBER 3; 2005 p. 284-294 Ansari, M. A.; Shukla, V. K: Foot Infections INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LOWER EXTREMITY WOUNDS, VOL 4; NUMB 2; 2005, pp. 74-87 Butcher, M. Are we getting `value for money' in tissue viability? BRITISH JOURNAL OF NURSING -LONDON- MARK ALLEN PUBLISHING LIMITED- VOL 14; NUMB 11; 2005 pp. S2-S2 Fays, S.; Schmutz, J. L.; Vin, F.; Thirion, V.; Sigal-Grinberg, M.; Ingen-Housz-Oro, S.; Esteve, E.; Sauvadet, A.; Bohbot, S: Leg ulcers and the Urgocell Non-Adhesive wound dressing, BRITISH JOURNAL OF NURSING -LONDON- MARK ALLEN PUBLISHING LIMITED- VOL 14; NUMB 11 pp. S15-S20 Riet, G. t: Analysing wound-healing efficacy papers, JOURNAL OF WOUND CARE, VOL 14; NUMB 6; SUPP; 2005 pp. 14-16
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Download this newsletter in PDF formatJune 2005 |
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