NPUAP conference report

Posted: 08/03/2010

March 3, 2010
National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel
Washington, DC

NOT ALL PRESSURE ULCERS ARE AVOIDABLE

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel’s recent consensus conference panelists agreed that patients who choose not to participate in their own pressure ulcer prevention could
develop unavoidable pressure ulcers. They also agreed that there are clinical situations in which the development of pressure ulcers can be unavoidable. The conference was held at
Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

Twenty-four multidisciplinary experts in pressure ulcer prevention and treatment comprised the voting panelists. Specialties included medicine, geriatrics, surgery, specialty nursing,
physical therapy and dieticians. The international panel represented professional wound organizations, accrediting bodies, hospitals, rehabilitation agencies, long-term care, hospice, and home care.

The panelists agreed that the current definition of avoidable pressure ulcers developed by the Federal Government for long term care settings captured the spirit of pressure ulcer
avoidability but could not be used in all settings. A revised definition was developed and agreed upon by the panelists

Unavoidable - means that the individual developed a pressure ulcer even though the provider had evaluated the individual's clinical condition and pressure ulcer risk factors; defined and implemented interventions that are consistent with individual needs goals and recognized standards of practice; monitored and evaluated the impact of the interventions; and revised the approaches as appropriate.

The panelists unanimously agreed there are patient situations that create unavoidable pressure ulcers. A condition seen in patients in critical care, hemodynamic instability may
preclude turning or repositioning and lead to unavoidable pressure ulcers. Patients who refuse to be repositioned may also develop unavoidable pressure ulcers. The panelists agreed
that the condition of skin failure exists.

The full report of the consensus conference including a report on the methodology used will be forthcoming.

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel serves as the authoritative voice for improved patient outcomes in pressure ulcer prevention and treatment through public policy,
education and research.

Contact Information: David Saunders, NPUAP Executive Director at dsaunders@npuap.org

Roadmap for quality launched

Posted: 05/03/2010

The Chief Nursing Officer yesterday launched the Nursing Roadmap for Quality.

The Nursing Roadmap for Quality has been designed help nurses and their teams understand the elements of the quality framework that relate to nursing practice.

The purpose of the document is to:

inform nurses and their teams of their role in supporting quality improvements against the seven elements of the quality framework

provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for key resources, which nursing teams can use to further demonstrate their added contribution to quality

reinforce the need for nurses to identify ways to reduce waste and repetition, by contributing to the quality and productivity
challenge.

In launching this work, Dame Christine Beasley said

“Nurses are passionate about delivering high quality care. This Nursing Roadmap for Quality is an essential reference guide with over 40 key resources to support nurses’ delivery quality.

It will help them have the key tools, resources and approaches in one useful place. It aims to help them further improve the excellent care nurses gave day in day out, and assist them in telling the story on how nurses continually contribute to high quality patient care and experience.“

The Roadmapwill be available to all as a reference guide supporting good quality care across the NHS and in social care.

We would encourage people to download the document from the CNO website on the dedicated link www.dh.gov.uk/nursingquality.

Become a TVS Trustee

Posted: 20/02/2010

There are 7 vacancies upon Council available from April 2010 for a fixed period of three years.  Five of these vacancies are open to all current TVS members who are either Health Care Professionals or employed in research and teaching. Under Clause 10 of the Constitution there are two vacancies this year for members from the commercial sector. 

All candidates must be prepared to fulfil the role of a Trustee of a Registered Charity where they should attend meetings of Council and actively seek to develop and strengthen the Tissue Viability Society.

The Tissue Viability Society draws members from a wide variety of professions and, as far as is possible, the composition of Council should reflect this breadth of membership.

Reference document : Nomination form