EPUAP Conference 2026: Key Insights on Pressure Ulcer Prevention, Education and Patient Involvement
Introduction
Many thanks to OSKA for giving me the opportunity to attend this year’s international European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) Conference 2026 while I was at home in Ireland visiting family.
It has been many years since I last attended an EPUAP Conference, so I was excited to see what the general topic themes were and listen to some local and international speakers who are specialist in their areas of expertise.
Below I have summarised the three main themes I took away from this year’s Conference:
Pressure Ulcer Prevention requires a Multidisciplinary Team approach
Pressure ulcer prevention has long been viewed as a nursing responsibility, but the evidence and experience of clinical practice tell us that it is fundamentally a workforce issue. Preventing pressure ulcers requires collaboration, shared learning, and a whole-system approach in which every member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) plays an active role.
More than a decade ago, discussions on the challenges facing nursing highlighted the importance of MDT involvement in the care of patients at risk of pressure ulcers. Yet, 16 years later, Jacqui Fletcher’s message that “we have to do things differently” remains highly relevant. Equally, Tom O’Connor’s work on closing the gap between evidence and implementation identified that many MDT professionals were still not fully engaged in pressure ulcer prevention and management.
Evidence shows limited MDT involvement in Pressure Ulcer Prevention
Recent evidence suggests progress has been slower than many would expect. A scoping review examining MDT roles in pressure injury prevention found only eight relevant studies over a ten-year period, with most conducted in the United States, and all based in hospital settings. The review highlighted that nurses continue to carry much of the responsibility for prevention, while the involvement of other key professionals remains limited. Physiotherapists featured in only five teams, dietitians in six, occupational therapists in one, and podiatrists in just one study1.
The review also found that patients and families were often positioned at the end of the care pathway, with involvement largely focused on discharge planning, nutrition, and repositioning advice. This falls short of the principles of person-centred care, where individuals and their families should be active partners throughout prevention and management.
Why workforce development matters for Pressure Ulcer Prevention
The challenges facing healthcare organisations are significant. Workforce pressures, recruitment difficulties, and retention challenges, create additional barriers to delivering consistent prevention strategies. However, investment in workforce development, MDT policy, education, and shared learning should not be seen as separate from patient safety and quality outcomes. They are intrinsically linked.
If we are serious about reducing pressure ulcer harm, we must move beyond seeing prevention as the responsibility of one profession. Sustainable improvement will come from strengthening multidisciplinary collaboration, supporting a skilled and resilient workforce, and ensuring that patients and families are true partners in care. Only then can teamwork genuinely make the dream work for pressure ulcer prevention (acknowledgement to Alison Porter-Armstrong, Edinburgh Napier University / Tom O’Connor University/ research institute, RCSI / Zena Moore, University / Research institute, RCSI).
Pressure ulcer education and training: what does the evidence tell us?
Education is widely recognised as a key strategy in pressure ulcer (PU) prevention, yet evidence suggests that knowledge alone is not enough to improve outcomes.
Gaps in pressure ulcer knowledge among Healthcare Professionals
Recent research from Croatia (by Ana Zepina Puzic) found that nurses’ overall pressure ulcer knowledge remained below the satisfactory threshold, with the greatest gaps in wound classification and pressure ulcer staging. Encouragingly, nurses who had recently undertaken training or engaged with current literature demonstrated better knowledge, highlighting the value of ongoing education.
Similarly, work by Aine Curtis (researcher & Nurse Practitioner, RCSI) showed that an online educational intervention significantly improved healthcare professionals’ understanding of pressure ulcer prevention, with 87% of participants increasing their knowledge scores. Participants also viewed the programme positively, demonstrating the potential of accessible, flexible learning opportunities.
How to measure the effectiveness of pressure ulcer education
A key challenge remains in that we still lack agreed measures to evaluate the effectiveness of pressure ulcer education. As highlighted by Kelly Anne O’Callaghan (TVN Beaumont Hospital, Ireland), developing a Core Outcome Set for pressure ulcer education could help standardise evaluation and identify which educational approaches deliver the greatest impact.
The evidence also suggests that clinicians often do not need more information, but rather practical tools that help them apply existing knowledge. Australian research (Jake McMahon, researcher & Nurse from Melbourne) found strong support for quick-reference guides, decision aids, and mobile-accessible flowcharts that provide reassurance and support decision-making in busy clinical environments.
Turning knowledge into action to improve patient outcomes
While educational interventions generally improve knowledge and may contribute to reduced pressure ulcer rates, the certainty of evidence remains low. Pressure ulcer prevention is complex and influenced by workforce pressures, leadership, organisational culture and resources, as well as knowledge.
The message is clear: education remains essential, but it works best when embedded within a culture of continuous learning, supported by strong leadership, multidisciplinary collaboration, and practical tools that help clinicians translate knowledge into action. The challenge is no longer simply educating staff, but ensuring that learning is sustained, applied and ultimately improves patient care.
The importance of patient involvement in Pressure Ulcer Prevention
Pressure ulcer prevention is often discussed in terms of risk assessments, equipment, and clinical interventions. However, a collaborative workshop exploring patient experiences highlighted a simple but powerful message: prevention starts with meaningful conversations and genuine partnership.
Why patient-centred communication matters
Language matters. Participants reflected that terminology can either invite someone into a conversation or create barriers through medical jargon and professional knowledge. Patient-centred care is not simply about giving information, but about ensuring people feel heard, understood, and involved in decisions about their care.
Learning from patients with lived experience of pressure ulcers
- Expert with lived experience 1, who lives with diabetes, described how he was previously unaware of the damage he was causing to his feet through everyday activities. Through education and support, he learned the importance of daily foot checks, footwear choices, clothing, and reducing risks. Although he acknowledged that self-management can be frustrating, he reflected positively on the past three years, highlighting the confidence, knowledge, and relationships he had gained. His key message was that while pressure ulcer prevention is rarely simple, “when you are heard, things can work.”
- Expert with lived experience 2, who has lived with paralysis for eight years, shared how a small black dot on the ball of his foot was initially ignored before developing into a more serious problem. The consequences extended far beyond wound care. For four years he was unable to wear normal shoes, relying instead on sandals or slip-on footwear. His experience demonstrated the significant impact pressure ulcers can have on identity, independence, choice, and quality of life.
- Expert with lived experience 3, who had lived an active life for more than three decades following spinal injury, described how a fall and subsequent cushion failure led to a sacral pressure ulcer. The consequences were profound: three years in hospital, including 18 months confined to bed, and a further 18 months under significant restrictions, ultimately requiring surgery. Beyond the personal impact, he emphasised the burden placed on family members and the loss of normal life activities.
Co-designing pressure ulcer prevention with patients and families
These stories remind us that pressure ulcers are not simply wounds. They affect mobility, relationships, employment, social participation, independence, and emotional wellbeing. They also demonstrate the value of collaborative approaches where patients are viewed as experts in their own experiences.
The workshop reinforced that effective pressure ulcer prevention requires more than educating patients about risks. It requires listening to their experiences, involving them in decision-making, and co-designing solutions that fit into their daily lives. When patients, families, and healthcare professionals work together, prevention becomes a shared responsibility rather than a clinical task imposed upon individuals.
The patient perspective reminds us that the “how” of prevention is just as important as the “what”. Being listened to, respected, and included may be one of the most important interventions we can offer (acknowledgement to Hannah Wilson, Helen Strapp, and Liane Teixeira who facilitated the session, and the 3 experts with lived experience).
Key Takeaways from the EPUAP Conference 2026
The strongest message from this year’s EPUAP Conference was that pressure ulcer prevention extends beyond risk assessment tools and clinical interventions. Success depends on multidisciplinary teamwork, effective education that translates into practice, and meaningful patient involvement at every stage of care.
Healthcare organisations that invest in these three areas are more likely to improve patient outcomes, reduce pressure ulcer incidence and create a culture where prevention is everyone’s responsibility.
Please cite as: Dowley, V. OSKA Care Ltd. (September 2026). EPUAP Conference 2026: Key insights on Pressure Ulcer Prevention, education and patient involvement. Havant, Portsmouth: OSKA Care Ltd.
References
- Gebreheat, G. and Porter-Armstrong, A (2026)Does teamwork make the dream work? A scoping review of multidisciplinary teams in pressure injury prevention and management. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42695640/
