Downloads
Clinical Blogs
Clinical benefits of the OSKA Series5 Lateral Tilting Mattress
Written by Anita Morton, RN BN (Hons) – Clinical Support Nurse
The OSKA Series5 lateral tilting mattress has been designed to deliver high levels of pressure redistribution, through immersion and envelopment, whilst also reducing shear forces and providing stability, safety, and comfort, whether it is in dynamic or lateral rotation mode…
Benefits of tilt in space for good pressure relief
Written by Anita Morton, RN BN (Hons) – Clinical Support Nurse
Pressure ulcers remain a significant problem within health and social care organisations and cost the NHS £3.8 million every day. They result from localised injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue, and usually over a bony prominence as a result of pressure, often in combination with shear forces..
Under the Umbrella of MASD – Peri-wound and Peri-stomal Moisture-Associated Dermatitis
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
Moisture Associated Skin Damage (MASD) is an umbrella term for skin inflammation or skin erosion caused by prolonged exposure to a source of moisture such as urine, sweat, faeces, wound exudate, saliva, or mucus (LeBlanc, 2019). There are 4 main types of MASD which are…
Skin Changes at Life’s End (SCALE) – Gaining a greater understanding
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
There are many different terms used throughout the literature to describe pressure ulcers seen in the final days and hours of a dying patient’s life, such as ‘Decubitus ominous’, Kennedy terminal ulcer’, and ‘skin failure’. Levine (2016) reported that the differing definitions were causing confusion for healthcare professionals and called for a unified classification system which resulted in the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) developing 10 consensus statements…
Under the Umbrella of MASD – Intertriginous Dermatitis (ITD)
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
Intertriginous Dermatitis, or Intertrigo, is a common condition, which falls under the umbrella of MASD. However, the condition has had less of a spotlight in terms of MASD research (Voegeli, 2020) in comparison to the three other forms of MASD (Cotterell et al, 2020)…
Reducing the risk of infection – clean or aseptic approach to wound cleansing
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
When it comes to wound care and reducing the risk of infection or cross contamination, the first stage is good practice in hand hygiene. National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2012) states that all healthcare workers providing care should be educated in the principles of infection control…
Understanding the different types of tilting devices and their intended uses
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
Pressure relieving and redistributing devices are widely accepted methods of trying to prevent the development of pressure ulcers for people considered as being at risk (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2019)…
Assessing pressure ulcers in patients with darker skin tones
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
Regular skin inspection, to identify skin abnormalities, is key practice in preventing the development of pressure ulcers and it is recognised that skin changes are a key signal in predicting the presence of early or deeper pressure damage (Fletcher, 2019)…
The importance of minding the feet of diabetic patients?
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
So, what puts diabetic patients at higher risk of developing pressure ulcers? Although the answer to this question is multifactorial and complex, there are 3 key risk factors which can put diabetic patients at higher risk of developing pressure ulcers. Discussing these, as Health Care Professionals (HCP), will help to improve knowledge and promote extra vigilance in preventing pressure ulcer development…
Preventing pressure ulcers for People Living with Dementia (PLWD)
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
As Healthcare practitioners (HCP) we are often involved in caring for PLWD but not every HCP will be a specialist in this area and therefore may not have a deeper knowledge of the aspects of dementia which can put this cohort of patients at a higher risk of developing pressure ulcers…
Under the umbrella of MASD – Incontinence Associated Dermatitis (IAD)
Written by Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons) – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
16 March 2023 is Moisture Associated Skin Damage (MASD) Awareness Day which was first hosted in 2022 following an initiative to increase awareness of MASD risk factors. The guiding principle for the day is to get everyone to #ThinkMASD and have a plan, in your workplace, to minimise moisture for those patients most at risk…
Nutrition and Hydration in Pressure Ulcer Management
Written by Alison Schofield, Clinical Manager & Honorary TVN at York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
One of the most important factors in keeping the skin healthy is nutrition and hydration. The NHS Eatwell Guide (1) shows how much of what we do eat should come from particular food groups to ensure a balance over each day. Taking plenty of fluids is also vital with 6-8 glasses of water, lower-fat milks and lower-sugar or sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee.
You ask, we answer.
Valerie Dowley, RGN, BSc (Hons), Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist and Anita Morton, RN BN (Hons), Clinical Support Nurse answer 6 commonly asked questions through a series of videos…
Power Outages = Pressure Ulcers
Written by Anita Morton, RN BN (Hons) – Clinical Support Nurse
Contingency planning as blackouts in the UK becoming more of a possibility amid ongoing energy crisis. Following another stark warning from the National Grid this week, England, Scotland and Wales are braced for the very real possibility of rolling power blackouts this winter…
The importance of seating and good postural support in the prevention of pressure ulcers
Written by Anita Morton, RN BN (Hons) – Clinical Support Nurse
Pressure ulcers remain a significant problem within health and social care organisations and cost the NHS £3.8 million every day. Whilst many patients are at risk of pressure ulcer development, it is often the elderly, malnourished and those with acute illness who are at increased risk of pressure related tissue injury due to their inability to reposition themselves…
Busting Myths – What is the impact of body weight on pressure ulcer risk?
Written by Carole Young – Independent Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist
It is well documented that there are several factors that increase a person’s risk for developing pressure ulcers, these include: mobility/ activity, tissue perfusion, age, co-morbidities such as diabetes, illness, poor nutrition and hydration (Coleman et al, 2013)…
Dying to get out of bed
Written by Faith Slater RN BSc (Hons), Clinical Support Nurse
Each year 20,000 people are injured from falling out of bed. But how is that even possible? Your bed is a place where you rest and whether you’re asleep or recovering from an injury, it is somewhere you should feel comfortable and safe. With the ageing population, providing a safe place for an elderly person could potentially save their life…
Don’t forget to document
Written by Faith Slater – Clinical Support Nurse
How can I cook my dinner?! How can I charge my phone?! How can I watch tv?!
The above are things we have all said when there is a power cut. For a moment let’s think about what happens when a power cut happens in a nursing and care home. I can assure you these phrases will not cross a carer’s mind when the power goes off!