In support of World Wide Pressure Ulcer Prevention Day, November 19, 2015, here are FIVE valuable resources for healthcare professionals and facility managers to consider when fighting back against the genesis of avoidable pressure ulcers.

1. Invest in the Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guideline (full-text or quick-reference version). Leaders from the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance (PPPIA) recently introduced the latest Clinical Practice Guideline to provide explicit recommendations and research summaries related to pressure ulcer genesis, classification, prevention/avoidance, and treatment. While you may not have the time to read the Guideline from cover to cover, it’s an excellent reference document when considering changes to your facilities pressure ulcer protocol.
2. Embrace new perspectives on pressure ulcer avoidance. Consider subscribing to e-newsletters and publications you don’t already read in order to gain new insight about the latest procedures and technologies available to you in the fight against pressure ulcers. For example, today’s edition of the Mobility Management emobility newsletter (11/19/2015) revealed new perspectives on the role that friction, shear, and microclimate play in the development and prevention of pressure ulcers.
3. Plan to attend at least one clinical symposium/exhibition over the next 12 months that you haven’t previously attended. The NPUAP Staging Consensus Conference, WOCN Society Annual Conference, and SAWC Spring/Fall Meeting are just three of many great networking, educational and product preview options available to healthcare professionals, educators, and facility managers. Expanding your knowledge base beyond your area of specialty will broaden your clinical perspective and offer new product & technology offerings that have yet to reach your area of specialty.
4. Take advantage of free education opportunities online. Webinars, association websites, specialty forums, and Youtube videos offer a wealth of free and easily accessible opportunities to gain knowledge about products and treatment techniques. When you get tired of reading, check out a video like this one about shear reduction in wheelchair seating systems: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNLUIQRtZVY&w=560&h=315]
5. Don’t stop now – share your knowledge! When you come across interesting new treatment procedures and products in the healthcare journals you read, take a moment to forward them to your colleagues in an effort to spark discussion about how your facility might improve your own patient care procedures. Take advantage of social media to learn and share new clinical insights that may reveal opportunities for enhanced patient care that can be immediately applied to your care plans.