Sixth National Conference
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This conference focuses on the prevention and management of pressure ulcers at the end of life. Wounds are a common occurrence in patients with terminal illnesses, it has been estimated that approximately one third of palliative care patients will experience a pressure ulcer. Pressure wounds are seen most often in elderly and terminally ill patients as a result skin failure — a naturally occurring process commonly associated with terminal illness wherein the skin begins to break down and die. At the end of life multiple risk factors can lead to pressure ulcers. The prevention and management of pressure ulcers at the end of life must also be balanced alongside the patients preferences presenting ethical dilemmas such as when prevention and active management should stop in the last days of life. Alongside National Update sessions focusing on Learning from the National Pressure Ulcer Prevalence and Quality of Care Audit and reflecting on the challenges of Covid-19, this national conference focuses on the reduction and management of pressure ulcers at the end of life, from risk assessment to controlling pain and discomfort in the last days of life.
“Pressure ulcers at end of life should be classified in the same way as all pressure ulcers, and not be given a separate category.”
“When a patient is dying, the skin like other body organs, becomes particularly vulnerable to breakdown; in fact breakdown may be unavoidable.”
“We continue to have a challenge with patients developing pressure ulcers, and also a challenge with having some standardisation and consistency of care… there is considerable variation of about what happens in practice… in particular underuse of evidence based care and overuse of ineffective interventions.”
The conference will also discuss the New National Pressure Ulcer Surveillance System
“A phased approach will be used to develop PU surveillance in the NHS.. Clinicians with responsibility for PU reporting (most likely tissue viability nurses) will need to ensure their organisations are aware of and prepared for the new surveillance system. As part of this, systems will need to understand the difference between surveillance reporting and clinical incident reporting. The purpose of surveillance reporting is to capture the full incidence and prevalence of PUs across a system to drive quality improvement at organisational level. The purpose of clinical incident reporting is to support learning from mistakes so action can be taken to keep patients safe.”
This conference will enable you to:
- Network with colleagues who are working to improve the measurement, reporting and prevention of pressure ulcers and harm at the end of life
- Reflect on national developments and learning including learning from Stop the Pressure: National Pressure Ulcer Prevalence and Quality of Care Audit
- Learn from outstanding practice in pressure ulcer reporting
- Develop your skills in the management of pressure ulcers, and reducing pain and discomfort at the end of life for patients with them
- Developing effective training and education of frontline staff that will empower frontline teams to take ownership for improving care processes and preventing pressure ulcers
- Understand skin changes at the end of life
- Improve sustainability in the reduction of pressure ulcers during Covid-19
- Understand the factors that increase the risk of pressure ulcer development, and explore effective risk assessment tools
- Develop a better understanding of pressure ulcer prevention at the end of life
- Reflect on a case study in reducing pressure ulcers in Covid-19 patients
- Improve Nutrition and Hydration
- Learn from Clinical Negligence claims related to pressure ulcers
- Ensure you are up to date with the latest evidence and definitions
- Implementing the new national Pressure Ulcer Surveillance system and learning from pilot sites
- Self assess and reflect on your own practice
- Gain CPD accreditation points contributing to professional development and revalidation evidence
