Interventions Post Catheter Removal (iPCaRe) in the Acute Care Setting: An Evidence- and Consensus-Based Algorithm.

Despite advances in the prevention of catheter-acquired urinary tract infections achieved by programs that include removal of the indwelling urinary catheter at the earliest possible time, evidence guiding bladder and incontinence management strategies following discontinuation of a catheter is sparse. To address this gap and guide best practice, the WOCN Society appointed a Task Force to develop an evidence- and consensus-based algorithm guiding clinical decision-making for effective bladder and incontinence management strategies after indwelling urinary catheter removal. This article describes the design and development of the algorithm, consensus-based statements used to guide best practice in this area, and its content validation.

Choosing a support surface for pressure injury prevention and treatment.

This article discusses an evidence- and consensus-based support-surface algorithm designed to help clinicians choose the most appropriate support surface for preventing or treating pressure injuries based on patient, nurse, and institutional considerations.

Identifying the right surface for the right patient at the right time: generation and content validation of an algorithm for support surface selection.

Support surfaces are an integral component of pressure ulcer prevention and treatment, but there is insufficient evidence to guide clinical decision making in this area. In an effort to provide clinical guidance for selecting support surfaces based on individual patient needs, the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN®) set out to develop an evidence- and consensus-based algorithm. A Task Force of clinical experts was identified who: 1) reviewed the literature and identified evidence for support surface use in the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers; 2) developed supporting statements for essential components for the algorithm, 3) developed a draft algorithm for support surface selection; and 4) determined its face validity.

Support surfaces: beds, mattresses, overlays-oh my!

The prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers are major concerns for health care providers across the care continuum. The selection of a support surface is an important component of a comprehensive pressure ulcer prevention program. The accepted standard in clinical practice for pre-venting pressure ulcers and other complications of immobility is to either turn patients manually at frequent intervals or to use a pressure-reducing device.