Computer-Assisted Wound Assessment and Care Education Program in Registered Nurses: Use of an Interactive Online Program by 418 Registered Nurses.

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate use of a previously validated, online, interactive wound assessment and wound care clinical pathway in a group of RNs. Specific aims were to (a) evaluate the proportions of correct, partially correct, and incorrect algorithmic decisions and dressing selections, (b) compare response rates between nurses who are and who are not wound care certified, and (c) evaluate its ease of use, educational value, and applicability in clinical practice.

Design: Descriptive study.

Calling All Nursing Students: How Much Wound Care is in Your Future?

This month, more than 2,000 student nurses and nursing faculty will attend the National Student Nurses Association Annual Convention in Orlando, FL. Thinking about this event presents the perfect time for student nurses, faculty, clinical instructors, and preceptors--anyone involved in wound prevention and care practice or education--to look ahead and ponder the future of nursing in general and wound care nursing in particular.

Pressure ulcer prevention algorithm content validation: a mixed-methods, quantitative study.

Translating pressure ulcer prevention (PUP) evidence-based recommendations into practice remains challenging for a variety of reasons, including the perceived quality, validity, and usability of the research or the guideline itself. Following the development and face validation testing of an evidence-based PUP algorithm, additional stakeholder input and testing were needed. Using convenience sampling methods, wound care experts attending a national wound care conference and a regional wound ostomy continence nursing (WOCN) conference and/or graduates of a WOCN program were invited to participate in an Internal Review Board-approved, mixed-methods quantitative survey with qualitative components to examine algorithm content validity.

The Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) venous and pressure ulcer guidelines.

Guidelines based on best available evidence to support pressure ulcer (PU) or venous ulcer (VU) management decisions can improve outcomes. Historically, such guidelines were consensus-based and differed in content and development methods used. Since 2002, the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) Guideline Task Force has used a systematic approach for developing "guidelines of guidelines" that unify and blend recommendations from relevant published guidelines while meeting Institute of Medicine and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality standards.

Creating a pressure ulcer prevention algorithm: systematic review and face validation.

Pressure ulcer (PU) prevention is a care imperative supported by substantive evidence, but translating that knowledge into clinical decision-making at the point of care remains challenging. The purpose of this study was to create a succinct, evidence-based algorithm for inclusion in an existing industry-sponsored, evidence-based wound care program that will: 1) help clinicians assess and document overall patient PU risk; 2) help clinicians assess and address modifiable PU risk factors; and 3) guide clinicians toward an evidence-based protocol of care for patients with impaired skin integrity. First, using a systematic literature review and the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT), a one-page algorithm containing 26 distinct decision points/steps was developed with study quality ratings for all publications identified.