|
 |
|
||
 |
||||
|
||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
The 2010 Scholarships and Awards winner's lunch was held in the Wren Suite, St. Paul's cathedral. The Scholarships and Awards were presented by David Foster, Deputy Chief Nurse. David's speech clearly reflected the admiration he has for the practitioners who take part in the programme, and spent much time talking with clinicians about their role. We are delighted to announce the winners for 2010 are as follows: Experienced Practitioner Scholarship Novice Practitioner Scholarship Vanessa has been working to implement trust guidelines on the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. One element of their strategy involved a 'Pressure Ulcer Prevention Week' project, comprising education of, and feedback from, staff, patients and the local community. Posters were used to raise awareness of PU prevention, along with study days and a newsletter. Link nurses, the TV team and equipment staff sported 'Ask me about preventing pressure ulcer' badges to encourage staff and patients to find out more. In addition, education programmes have been developed that include all clinical staff. Success of the project will be evaluated through staff and patient interviews, documentation audit and pressure ulcer incidence monitoring. Team Award Winners The team implemented a multi-faceted review of the trust's tissue viability service, equipment contracts and pressure ulcer policy. The review was supported by the chief executive, chief nurse and medical director and sought the views of patients, carers and staff. They worked closely with their clinical governance and risk unit, who have included the strategy in their patient safety first initiative. The team has developed a credit card sized information card for patients at risk of pressure ulcer development to allow health professionals to implement prevention strategies as soon as possible. Awareness raising events such as quizzes and competitions are held in outpatient departments as part of the strategy, and links have been made with local supermarkets to explore their role in promoting good nutrition. There have been some difficulties with staffs who are intimidated by sharing what they perceive to be 'poor practice', but the team hopes to address this by outlining the long-term outcomes of such a strategy. This project so far has led to a decrease in the severity of pressure ulcers, increased awareness amongst staff and prompter management of those admitted with ulcers. In future, the team would like to include service users as part of the team. Barbara Pils and team, Parklands hospital, Basingstoke The team explored the feasibility of providing a leg ulcer service in the community for patients with ulcers that have not healed after four weeks of treatment. Funded by the local primary care trust in 2006, the team undertook a pilot study, based in a local community hall. To facilitate referral, bookings are made through an internet appointment system. Patients are contacted by telephone within 48 hours and an appointment offered within 15 days. Patients are assessed using Leg Ulcer Telemedicine. Progress is monitored and information shared with the community and practice nurses, the GP and carers. Patients are given 'healing progress' graphs and other documentation as required. Care plans are detailed enough to be used as educational tools for the non-specialist nurses caring for these patients. Over a 7 month period, 121 referrals were received. Average ulcer duration was 36 weeks, and after referral to the clinic, healing time averaged 7 weeks, and healing rate was 46% at 12 weeks. The project has now developed into a fully-fledged wound care service, where specialist treatment is provided. The team works closely with the podiatry, vascular and dermatology services, and a 'well-leg' service has been implemented. It has demonstrated that working with commissioners in an innovative way can lead to positive, cost-effective patient outcomes. Highly commended This team of seven covers 5100 beds in 25 acute hospitals and 10 regional specialist units. Previously, the TV nurses practiced independently of each other, only occasionally liaising. However, they realised that they would achieve more working collectively. The first project they worked on together centred on the equipment supply contract. While it is fair to say that this first attempt wasn't a great success, the team began to explore their strengths and weaknesses and how these respectively might be utilised and improved. Over the past year, the team has developed a TV policy, devised a training schedule for staff, implemented new documentation and participated in audit and research. The have also developed a wound care formulary and are currently auditing their effectiveness as a team. Tissue Viability Champion Award Winner Jane was nominated for this award for the work she has undertaken in providing community based care for those with chronic lower limb oedema and lymphoedema. Jane developed this service in response to an identified need. She undertook a diploma module in lymphoedema care and has shared her knowledge and skills with her team so that the patients receive the best care possible. She is working to develop a practice guideline and teaching other community teams how to care for such patients. They are working with the local hospice to provide care for those patients with end-of-life oedema. As a result of Jane's work, patients no longer have to travel from Powys to South Wales (or even England!) for lymphoedema treatment. For more information on the Wound Academy Scholarships and Awards please visit Molnlycke.com
Wound Essentials Summer Conference
The Wound Essentials Summer Conference aims to challenge all healthcare professionals with an interest in or remit for the management of patients with wounds. This conference will encourage you to think about what wound care really means on every level - where practical solutions have to be found on a day-to-day basis and where every patient is unique with their own set of circumstances that influence the healing process. The open clinical forum in the afternoon provides delegates with an opportunity to explore and develop core principles of wound care. Topics to be discussed are:
Palliative Wound Care Conference This conference is running parallel to the Wound Essentials Conference Decoding the complexity of Wound Infection - National 2010 Roadshows Tuesday 8th June - Birmingham - Crowne Plaza, NEC For more information visit the Activa website. Avoidable Pressure Ulcers - Implementing the High Impact Action: Your Skin Matters This conference focuses on improving quality of care and reducing cost in the management and treatment of avoidable pressure ulcers. This is the focus of Your Skin Matters, one of the High Impact Actions launched by the NHS Institute, which identified eight high impact actions from website submissions. The main aim of this particular one is to eradicate all avoidable Pressure Ulcers in NHS provided care.
Dowsett (2010) High Impact Actions and tissue viability, Wounds UK Vol 6 no.1, page 14. Fletcher J (2010) Development of a new wound assessment form, Wounds UK Vol 6, No. 1 pp 92-99. Isaia G Bo M, Tibaldi ,V Scarafiotti C, Ruatta C, Michelis G, Aimonino N (2010) The Experience of a Geriatric Hospital at Home Service for Acutely Ill Elderly Patients With Pressure Ulcers: An Observational Study Issue: 5:May 121-126, Newton H (2010) Reducing MRSA bacteraemias associated with wounds, Wounds UK Vol 6 no.1 pp 61-65.
|
||||||||||||||||||
Download this newsletter in PDF formatJune 2010 |
|