Abstract The two-fold purpose of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) Braden Scale Training Module is to teach nurses to use the Braden Scale to correctly assess pressure ulcer risk and to effectively plan risk-based prevention interventions. A pre-test, post-test, two-group, quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effect of web-based DMC Braden Scale Training on staff nurses’ ability to correctly endorse the use or non-use of 10 commonly-used risk-based pressure ulcer preventive interventions for patients at different levels of risk for pressure ulceration. “Regular” o

Index: Ostomy Wound Manage. 2009;55(2):50–55.

Abstract

  Modern dressings such as hydrocolloids, gels, and foams are typically more expensive than traditional dressings such as gauze. However, if modern dressings require fewer changes, the overall cost of treatment may be lower despite the higher initial purchase price. If healing rates are comparable or better, modern dressings also may be cost-effective. A 4-week, prospective, randomized clinical trial to assess differences in treatment costs and cost-effectiveness between a modern foam dressing and saline-soaked gauze was conducted among 36 patients (22 men, 14 women, mean age 72.8 years) with a Stage II pressure ulcer (mean duration 35 weeks) at five centers in the United States.

     Tunneling wounds have channels that extend from a wound into and through subcutaneous tissue or muscle. They often are difficult to manage and may persist for long periods of time.

     Tunnels occur for a variety of reasons. Commonly, they are associated with infection that has resulted in destruction of the tissues. Pressure ulcers can have tunnels because shear and pressure forces frequently are concentrated at the tissue layer interfaces, resulting in tunnel creation. In stalled wounds, tunneling occurs because of the extended inflammatory phase. Tu

     Most people intuitively recognize the fact that in order to heal what ails us we must provide the body with good nutrition. In part, this means providing an adequate number of calories or energy each day to meet the body’s needs. Quite often, energy needs are elevated in patients with certain illnesses such as wounds. Determining the precise number of calories a patient requires can be challenging but in both acute and long-term care, a complete patient assessment includes estimating the daily number of required calories. The purpose for doing this is to set a daily goal.