Surgical wound dehiscence (SWD) is almost certainly under-reported, not least because of variation in the interpretation of what constitutes SWD. As a result, patients with SWD may not receive optimal treatment and may experience additional surgical site complications, increased mortality, prolonged hospital stays and readmission. Following a meeting in July 2017, an international panel of clinical experts developed a consensus document to raise awareness of SWD, to aid identification of patients at increased risk and to provide practical guidance in prevention and management. This document has the endorsement of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) and ultimately aims to improve outcomes for patients … read more
Tag: Assessment and diagnosis
Prevention of hospital-acquired foot pressure injuries
Assessment and consideration of foot risk factors is essential for proactive prevention of hospital-acquired foot pressure injuries
The research outlined in this article aimed to see if high-risk feet were also identified as ‘at risk of ulceration’ by the Braden Score. One-hundred-and-thirty-two patients had foot risk stratified by a podiatrist and their admission Braden pressure injury (PI) risk level was compared. Only 36% were decreed to be at the same level of risk by both methods. The lack of agreement was demonstrated by a very low Kappa score. The Braden score underestimated PI risk to feet for 52% of the study population. Therefore, the authors concluded that less reliance on the Braden score is needed for the implementation of prevention to reduce rates hospital-acquired foot PIs … read more