Like most of you, being stuck indoors means I’ve been going through a lot of reading material recently, so after saturating myself with Harlen Coben, I was pleased to buy my freshly minted copy of “Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guidelines” The International Guideline 2019. No more roundhouse kicks to the head, or grizzly endings…at least for a while.
The Clinical Practice Guidelines were published in November last year by the NPIAP, EPUAP and the PPIA. Over the years, they have developed and revised several Clinical Guideline editions. It’s a long and insightful read, and a great tool for clinicians involved with selecting products for pressure injury healing and prevention. You can buy your own copy by visiting guidelinesales.com. It costs 50 bucks for the electronic version but is well worth it.
The new publication has updated research reviews from more recent clinical outcome studies with full analysis, evaluation and recommendations. Of particular interest to me, I noted the publication suggests the benefit of choosing a high specification foam mattresses over support surfaces that don’t have high specification qualities, and this is evidenced by studies with mostly consistent outcomes. It recommends that this is something you should probably do when selecting a non-powered support surface for your patient. There are handy strength of evidence and strength of recommendation references like this throughout the whole publication.
So consider this: Why not choose a clinically evidenced support surface with high specification qualities, that is proven to prevent and heal wounds and also supports fall prevention as well?
If you are in the process of choosing new support surfaces, find out more about the evidence-based Immersus mattress, which was designed specifically for high acuity, elderly and end-of-life patients.
