Publications by authors named "Mary Ellen Posthauer"

Nutrition is an important component in the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries (PIs). The skin is the largest organ of the body, and macronutrients and micronutrients in specific amounts are required to maintain and repair body tissues. The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, and the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: 2019 Clinical Practice Guideline includes nutrition recommendations for PI management.

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General Purpose: To review the nutrition-related recommendations presented in the 2019 European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline with further discussion of nutrition for pressure injury management in the context of the recommendations.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Learning Objectives/outcomes: After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1.

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Nutrition and hydration play an important role in preserving skin and tissue viability and in supporting tissue repair for pressure ulcer (PrU) healing. The majority of research investigating the relationship between nutrition and wounds focuses on PrUs. This white paper reviews the 2014 National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance Nutrition Guidelines and discusses nutrition strategies for PrU management.

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Older adults living in healthcare communities (HCCs) have multiple comorbidities and are at increased risk of malnutrition and unintended weight loss. Aging affects nearly every system as well as body composition and structure, causing physiological changes that can affect nutrition status. A significant percentage (56%) of residents who live in nursing facilities require extensive help to eat and have dental problems such as ill-fitting dentures, missing teeth, and swallowing problems, which can lead to inadequate caloric intake and unintended weight loss.

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In the vast majority of cases, appropriate identification and mitigation of risk factors can prevent or minimize pressure ulcer (PU) formation. However, some PUs are unavoidable. Based on the importance of this topic and the lack of literature focused on PU unavoidability, the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel hosted a multidisciplinary conference in 2014 to explore the issue of PU unavoidability within an organ system framework, which considered the complexities of nonmodifiable intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors.

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Numerous studies have reported associations between declining nutrition status and risk for pressure ulcers. Oral eating problems, weight loss, low body weight, undernutrition, and malnutrition are associated with an increased risk for pressure ulcers. Moreover, inadequate nutrient intake and low body weight are associated with slow and nonhealing wounds.

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Chronic wounds are a significant health problem worldwide. Often they are initially managed with various focal treatments until a specialist becomes involved, sometimes weeks or months after treatment has begun. Even at the specialist level, practices and guidelines are inconsistent due to a lack of high-level evidence.

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It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that individuals have the right to request or refuse nutrition and hydration as medical treatment. Registered dietitians should work collaboratively as part of an interprofessional team to make recommendations on providing, withdrawing, or withholding nutrition and hydration in individual cases and serve as active members of institutional ethics committees. This practice paper provides a proactive, integrated, systematic process to implement the Academy's position.

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It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that individuals have the right to request or refuse nutrition and hydration as medical treatment. Registered dietitians (RDs) should work collaboratively as part of the interprofessional team to make recommendations on providing, withdrawing, or withholding nutrition and hydration in individual cases and serve as active members of institutional ethics committees. RDs have an active role in determining the nutrition and hydration requirements for individuals throughout the life span.

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The objectives of this continuing education article are to analyze the aging process and its effect on the nutritional status of frail older adults; determine how sarcopenia, anorexia, malnutrition, and Alzheimer disease increase the risk for pressure ulcer development and impact the healing process; and to apply evidence-based nutrition guidelines and implement practical solutions for wound healing.

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Older adults who reside in nursing facilities tend to be frail and to have multiple comorbidities, increased risk of unintended weight loss, and protein energy malnutrition. Approximately 5.8% of nursing facility residents in the United States receive enteral feedings.

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Purpose: To enhance the clinician's competence in using nutrition as an integral part of wound healing.

Target Audience: This continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care.

Objectives: After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to: 1.

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It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that the quality of life and nutritional status of older adults residing in health care communities can be enhanced by individualization to less-restrictive diets. The Association advocates the use of qualified registered dietitians (RDs) to assess and evaluate the need for nutrition care according to each person's individual medical condition, needs, desires, and rights. Dietetic technicians, registered, provide support to RDs in the assessment and implementation of individualized nutrition care.

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It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that the quality of life and nutritional status of older adults residing in health care communities can be enhanced by individualization to less-restrictive diets. The American Dietetic Association advocates for registered dietitians to assess and evaluate the need for nutrition interventions tailored to each person's medical condition, needs, desires, and rights. Dietetic technicians, registered, assist registered dietitians in the assessment and implementation of individualized nutrition care.

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The Society for Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Wasting Disease convened an expert panel to develop nutritional recommendations for prevention and management of sarcopenia. Exercise (both resistance and aerobic) in combination with adequate protein and energy intake is the key component of the prevention and management of sarcopenia. Adequate protein supplementation alone only slows loss of muscle mass.

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The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel has updated the definition of a pressure ulcer and the stages of pressure ulcers based on current research and expert opinion solicited from hundreds of clinicians, educators, and researchers across the country. The amount of anatomical tissue loss described with each stage has not changed. New definitions were drafted to achieve accuracy, clarity, succinctness, clinical utility, and discrimination between and among the definitions of other pressure ulcer stages and other types of wounds.

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The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel has updated the definition of a pressure ulcer and the stages of pressure ulcers based on current research and expert opinion solicited from hundreds of clinicians, educators, and researchers across the country. The amount of anatomical tissue loss described with each stage has not changed. New definitions were drafted to achieve accuracy, clarity, succinctness, clinical utility, and discrimination between and among the definitions of other pressure ulcer stages and other types of wounds.

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