Pressure Ulcer Prevention & Management Masterclass - Dept of Nursing & Health Care

The HSE (2019) highlighted pressure ulcers as one of the common causes of harm and a priority area for patient safety improvement. Investigations into the causes of pressure ulcers frequently demonstrate that variations from standard evidence-based practice contribute to the development of this significant patient harm. 

According to the HSE a pressure ulcer is a “localised injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure, or pressure in combination with shear”. These wounds occur frequently among individuals who have difficulty moving, or cannot reposition themselves, such as the frail elderly, individuals undergoing surgery, or individuals with spinal cord injury. However, any service user, of any age, could develop a pressure ulcer if they are exposed to prolonged, unrelieved pressure and shear forces

This masterclass will focus on the prevention and management of pressure ulcers including assessment, management, monitoring, and reporting. The masterclass will open with Ms. Louise Skerritt, PhD student SETU exploring pressure ulcer aetiology within the context of the aSSKINg framework.

The masterclass will also have senior clinical experts provide participants with practical sessions on repositioning, seating, continence promotion and nutrition which reflect HSE (2018) National Wound Management Guidelines. It will also focus on incident reporting from both a HIQA and HSE Quality Patient Safety perspective with key note speakers from both organisations attending. 

Finally, we are delighted to have a service user with lived experience present a session on the impact of Pressure Ulceration on their quality of life. The final session of the day will be interactive where all session speakers will participate in an Expert Panel Q&A. 

To support the Masterclass, we will have an exhibition area supported by industry partners which will provide participants the opportunity throughout the day to view wound management and pressure relieving devices and to engage with their local company representatives. and pressure-relieving equipment.

The audience for this masterclass will comprise of intern student nurses, registered nurses, health care assistants and allied health professionals from acute, community and residential care settings (the masterclass is open to staff from both public and private healthcare services based in the South East). 

All participants will receive a certificate of attendance with Category 1 NMBI CEU available for registered nurses.