Rosalyn Jordan, RN, BSN, MSc, CWOCN, WCC

What can you tell us about the new 2014 edition of “Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guidelines”?

The updated guidelines that were released in the fall of 2014 are an international first prepared by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, the European Pressure Ulcer Panel, and the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance for clinicians. 

The information in this document provides a general guide for clinicians and healthcare providers across the world to promote the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in different healthcare settings and for different patient/resident populations. The guidelines provide evidenced-based information that will assist in preparing and implementing pressure ulcer prevention and treatment programs, and support interventions utilized to prevent and treat pressure ulcers.

This is an informative, user-friendly document that discusses pressure ulcer etiology, prevalence and incidents reporting, and the classifications or staging of pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcer prevention and treatment sections are also included, along with evidence-based interventions such as risk assessments, skin assessments, prevention measures and new or emerging therapies.

There is a section on pain management, dressings, and surgical procedures for pressure ulcers. A highlight in the new guidelines is an entire section devoted specifically to special populations: bariatric individuals, the critically ill, operative patients, palliative care, pediatric populations and individuals with a spinal cord injury.

The last section deals with implementing the guidelines, which will be most helpful for just about everyone. 

For more information, visit www.npuap.org.