Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Maureen Benbow.
This article describes a novel dressing product that was developed from existing technology: hydrocolloid. The main benefits of Urgotul relate to the fact that it does not adhere to the wound surface, so both wound trauma on removal and the build up of moisture under the dressing are avoided.
This article describes the first UK clinical open study of Urgotul, a new dressing, in the management of acute and chronic wounds. A single-centre, qualitative, descriptive, non-comparative study was carried out to evaluate the tolerance, acceptability and efficacy of Urgotul in practice. Urgotul comprises a new concept in wound management: lipido-colloid technology. It is a class IIb medical device and takes the form of a non-occlusive, thin-sheet, lipido-colloid dressing. Twenty-two out of 27 hospital inpatients who were selected by the tissue viability nurse and vascular nurse completed the study. Informed written consent was obtained before inclusion and photography of the wounds. Wounds were photographed and traced on entry, at each dressing change and on exit. The clinical report forms were completed weekly until wounds healed, or up to a maximum of 4 weeks. Patient and nurse acceptability was documented weekly and on exit from the study. The results were very positive regarding ease of application, conformability and non-adherence, absence of trauma, pain and bleeding on removal, with minimal maceration of the surrounding skin and odour. The study involved a limited sample of patients but demonstrated good efficacy, tolerance and acceptability of the dressing in a wide range of acute and chronic wounds.
AIM: To examine the accuracy of data collected on pressure ulcer incidence. A system for monitoring incidence has been in place since 1991 at a medium-sized hospital trust. The data collected are used to calculate resource requirements for specialist mattresses, to audit compliance with pressure ulcer guidelines and to identify staff training needs. METHOD: A convenience sample comprising 211 inpatients from the medical, surgical, rehabilitation and orthopaedic wards was assessed by the researcher over a 14-day period. Ward staff continued their usual routine of assessment and treatment. At the end of the study period, the researcher-generated data and ward staff-generated data were compared. RESULTS: A total of 343 assessments were carried out on 211 patients; 152 patients were found to have, or be at risk of having, pressure ulcers. The main finding after comparing both sets of data was that a significant number of patients at risk of, or with, pressure ulcers were not reported as such by ward staff (n = 86, 57 per cent; p < 0.0001). Twelve (14 per cent) of those not reported had pressure sores and were being cared for on specialist mattresses. Non-reporting was high from all wards. When reports were made of patients at risk of, or with, pressure ulcers, the reports were mostly accurate and complete. CONCLUSION: The data collection form is user-friendly and the assessment skills of nursing staff at the trust are adequate. However, the high incidence of under-reporting indicates that the current system may not be adequate for generating accurate data.
An 'all-in-one' guideline on pressure ulcer prevention and management in primary and secondary care was published last year by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE 2005a). The guideline is published in two parts. The first part is The Management of Pressure Ulcers in Primary and Secondary Care (Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and NICE 2005). The second part concerns pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention, including the use of pressure-relieving devices (NICE 2003). A quick reference guide (NICE 2005b) summarises the recommendations made in both parts and is the focus of this article.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.