This feature asks experts in their particular field to take a look at a therapy area and examine some of the challenges that general practice nurses (GPNs) may face. In this issue, we look at how...
Innovative compression therapy systems can improve practice
The problem:
Treating leg ulcers makes up a large part of a nurse’s caseload. While compression therapy with graduated multilayer bandaging has been widely accepted as recommended treatment, patients can find it bulky and uncomfortable and clinicians need to be trained and competent in its application. Thus, it is important that clinicians keep up to date with new methods of compression that can promote concordance, improve healing rates and achieve cost savings — all vital elements in leg ulcer management. Juxtacures™ (medi UK), an adjustable compression system, is one such innovation that helps to alleviate some of the challenges associated with multilayer bandaging.
*This piece was sponsored by an educational grant from medi UK
Venous leg ulcers make up a large part of a nurse’s caseload, with the application of compression bandaging requiring competent and skilled practitioners. At Central and North West London Foundation Trust (CNWL) Camden Integrated Primary Care (IPC) Service recruiting and retaining community nurses is a challenge, a situation which is shared across all London boroughs. In particular, it is difficult to maintain consistent standards for wound cleansing and compression bandaging, resulting in the responsibility for a large caseload falling to a small number of practitioners. Following a review of innovative products on show at the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) conference in May 2014, an alternative to traditional compression bandaging was identified as a possible solution to this problem; namely, UCSTM for effective debridement and Juxta CURESTM as an alternative to compression bandaging (both medi UK Ltd, Hereford).
Success!