Unicare and Allied Health Partners Celebrate Worldwide STOP Pressure Injury Day 2024 with Clinical Updates & Innovations
Seminar: Defining Pressure Care Excellence
- From Understanding Injuries to Optimizing Assistive Technologies
Thursday, 21 November 2024
The Camfield, Burswood
On Worldwide STOP Pressure Injury Day, we welcomed over 100 occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, and allied health managers at The Camfield in Burswood for a transformative seminar aimed at enhancing their practices in pressure injury prevention, treatment, and management through the latest knowledge and innovations in assistive technology.
This year, we celebrated not just an event but a movement — six impactful years of #StopThePressure.
As Western Australia’s largest effort in pressure injury prevention, #StopThePressure has not only raised awareness but also sparked a movement towards improved pressure care strategies across all healthcare settings. Over these six years, we have united thousands of passionate healthcare professionals dedicated to this vital cause.
Unicare Health's #StopThePressure initiative empowers healthcare professionals by providing essential resources and training to enhance pressure injury prevention and management practices across various healthcare settings.
Evidence-Based Practice in Pressure Injury Management
The first segment of the seminar was led by our clinical educator and trainer, Annette Dumble, who focused on the Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Injuries based on the International Clinical Practice Guidelines.
She emphasized the importance of comprehensive risk assessments to identify individuals at risk by evaluating mobility, nutritional status, and skin condition.
Annette discussed proactive prevention strategies, including regular patient repositioning, the use of pressure-relieving devices, and maintaining skin integrity through proper skincare. She also covered essential topics such as patient-centered care, continuous monitoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ongoing training for healthcare professionals.
Following Annette's presentation, our focused educator on sleep support surfaces, Ilissa Liew, provided an immersive exploration of new-to-market pressure care mattresses and electric profiling beds. She discussed how these innovations are reshaping pressure injury prevention and treatment.
What is a Pressure Care Mattress?
A pressure care mattress is specifically designed to distribute body weight evenly, reducing pressure points and preventing skin breakdown in individuals at risk of pressure injuries.
Ilissa showcased various types of pressure care mattresses from Care of Sweden - an award-winning global company renowned for its innovative medical technology solutions.
She compared Foam Mattresses, Static Air Mattresses, as well as Air & Hybrid Mattresses designed to treat and prevent pressure injuries.
Attendees had the opportunity to see mattress covers opened to reveal the technology inside, illustrating how material composition works together to prevent shear forces, encourage immersion and envelopment, and provide effective pressure relief.
New automatic technologies like the whisper-quiet CuroCell® A4 and CuroCell® IQ pumps utilize AI and high-precision sensors to continuously monitor the user’s weight, height, and position, allowing for real-time adjustments in air pressure to ensure optimal support and comfort.
These pumps offer the Pulsating Modeâ„¢ that combines gentle, alternating movements with constant low pressure, which helps distribute weight evenly and reduces peak pressures. This has been clinically proven to be more effective in both preventing and treating pressure injuries compared to traditional alternating modes.
Electric Profiling Beds and Pressure Care
Using the Xcel3pro bed, Ilissa showcased electric profiling functions, which provides dynamic adjustability of the backrest, knee break, and overall bed height. This sophisticated mobility allows healthcare professionals to seamlessly configure patient positioning across multiple therapeutic configurations, critically supporting pressure redistribution, patient comfort, and optimal clinical care.
Manual Handling Techniques for Pressure Care
After a morning tea break, Annette provided a comprehensive overview of manual handling equipment and techniques for effective pressure care.
She demonstrated how to safely position a sling under a person seated in a Regency Care Chair using slide sheets to minimize manual handling risks and shear forces.
Attendees learned about various transfer techniques achievable with different lifting hoists and yokes, emphasizing how these methods contribute to improved pressure care and positioning while reducing manual handling strain.
What is a Pressure Care Cushion?
A pressure care cushion is designed to alleviate pressure on vulnerable areas of the body while providing support during sitting activities.
Annette compared several types of cushions including foam cushions, polymer cushions like Equagel, gel cushions such as Action Pilot, air cushions like ROHO, and hybrid options from the JAY range (including JAY Union, JAY Fusion, and J2 Deep Contour).
She explained how different materials impact shear reduction, immersion, envelopment, microclimate management, and overall effectiveness in pressure care.
What are Askle Cushions?
Askle positioning cushions are an innovative solution in pressure care management, combining advanced materials and design features to improve patient comfort and reduce the risk of pressure injuries effectively.
Askle cushions contain microbeads or viscoelastic foam that conform to the body's shape, enhancing pressure distribution.
Annette showed attendees how Askle cushions can be used to facilitate repositioning and provide support for various positions, catering to individual needs while ensuring optimal pressure relief.
Customizing Shower Commodes for Enhanced Pressure Care
Our specialist in shower commodes, Crystal Chan, discussed how different components of shower commodes can be customized to enhance pressure care during bathing and toileting activities.
Shower commodes are specialized seating devices designed to provide safe and comfortable toileting and bathing for individuals with mobility challenges. They play a crucial role in pressure care and positioning, particularly for those at risk of developing pressure injuries.
Juvo shower commodes, for example, offer adjustable seating positions and customizable padded seat options that help distribute weight evenly while accommodating individual patient needs.
By allowing for proper positioning and support, they help redistribute weight away from high-risk areas such as the sacrum, heels, and hips. This not only improves comfort but also significantly reduces the risk of skin breakdown during daily hygiene routines.
Many attendees enjoyed hands-on experiences with relevant assistive technology to gain an in-depth understanding of healthcare equipment's diverse applications and functionalities.
Thank You
As an industry leader in assistive technology for pressure injury prevention and management, we thank everyone for joining our #StopThePressure event. We hope that everyone left the seminar equipped with the confidence and proficiency needed to effectively integrate these technologies into their daily clinical practices—significantly enhancing their ability to deliver patient-centred pressure injury management solutions.
Thank you for celebrating Worldwide STOP Pressure Injury Day 2024 with us. We hope to see you at more #StopThePressure events next year.
Next Steps
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