European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel
Science and Practice of Pressure Ulcer Management - Book Review
- Science and Practice of Pressure Ulcer Management.
- Marco Romanelli, MD, PhD, Michael Clark, PhD, George Cherry, D Phil, Denis Colin, MD, PhD, Tom Defloor, RN, PhD, Springer-Verlag, London, 2006. ISBN: 13:978-1-85233-839-8; 204 pages.
The Science and Practice of Pressure Ulcer Management is a comprehensive book that has been edited by the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) including an internationally known group of experts on this topic, with Marco Romanelli as the Senior Editor and Michael Clark, George Cherry, Denis Colin, and Tom Defloor as Co-Editors. The text acts as a reference of a globally challenging clinical problem, focusing on prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. The book has 22 chapters that cover advances in research, epidemiology, assessment, management and legal aspects of pressure ulcers. The authors, who have contributed to the book, are well-known interdisciplinary leaders in the wound healing community. There are multiple figures and pictures that give wonderful examples of pressure ulcers, illustrating pressure assessment, need for debridement, use of negative pressure, and surgical flaps.
The book is well organized with the first chapter discussing the scale of the problem, guiding the clinician on how to deal with data on pressure ulcers obtained from the literature. The next chapter deals with the gravity of the problem from a nurse’s perspective. This chapter addresses a body-mind orientation to the patient’s quality of life and references the EPUAP prevention and treatment guidelines to be utilized in teaching and motivating patients and nursing personnel. The book then leads into a historical review of scientific underpinnings of tissue biochemistry and mechanisms of pressure ulcer development. The next chapter summarizes and simplifies the etiology and risk factors of pressure ulcers. This chapter is detailed and provides evidence-based rationale for risk factors. Chapter 5 reviews pressure ulcer classification systems with summaries, controversies and critiques. The next chapter provides a detailed review of risk assessment scales for predicting the risk of developing pressure ulcers. Chapters 7-10 cover the different approaches for prevention of pressure ulcers including selection of bed support surfaces, proper positioning, skin care, and nutrition based on the new European Guideline. The next section of the book covers clinical wound and instrumental wound assessment, wound bed preparation, choice of dressings and therapeutic devices and surgical management including debridement. Chapter 16 is a comprehensive approach to assessment and management of bacteria in pressure ulcers. This chapter has multiple tables and figures that summarize the main points and can be used as a quick reference. There are also cases to benefit the clinician in decision making for the complex, infected wound. The last section of the book includes a chapter on litigation, the development and use of pressure ulcer guidelines, the research agenda, a review of the EPUAP and its purpose in approaching pressure ulcers through education, research and dissemination by means of a cooperative program. The last chapter is devoted to a discussion of pressure ulcer prevention and management in the developing world.
In summary, this is a comprehensive book that covers many aspects of pressure ulcers and is a helpful guide for any member of the interdisciplinary wound team. Overall, the book is easy to read and has excellent tables and illustrations. I recommend it highly for any clinician who is challenged with the prevention and management of pressure ulcers.
- Joyce K. Stechmiller, ARNP, PhD
- Associate Professor, College of Nursing, University of Florida,
Director, Skin & Wound Education and Research, North Florida, South Georgia Veterans Health System