Tissue ViabilityGood Preventative

PracticeHelen Harris

Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist

What is Tissue Viability?

• Management and advice for service users with complex wounds

• Management of advanced therapies• Support complex pressure ulcer prevention cases• Responsible for all TV strategy, policy and

procedure

Service provision• Anyone with a complex need who is

registered with BANES or South Glos GP• 3 community hospitals• Care home support• Approx 437,000 population

• Pressure ulcers• Incontinence dermatitis• General skin care

Tissue Viability - Prevention

Pressure ulcer prevention

• Grade 3 and 4 threshold for safeguarding

• Multiple grade 2’s considered• Multiple patients in one setting

Good Preventative care• Risk assessment

• Consider reliability• Use clinical judgement• Must be re-evaluated when condition changes• Must only be a aide memoir• Poor predictor in wheelchair users and maternity• The clinician who carries out and signs the risk assessment

is responsible for devising prevention strategies

Care Planning• Care plan must be implemented for anyone

high risk to include– Outcome of risk assessment– The need for additional pressure relief at risk sites– Their mobility and ability to reposition– Co-morbidities– Patient preference

Skin assessment

• All risk areas• Any areas of discomfort• Variations in heat / moisture / firmness

Repositioning• Adults at risk should be encouraged to

reposition at least every 6 hours and high risk at least every 4 hours

• Assist those that can’t• Document the frequency of repositioning

required

Equipment• Utilise high specification foam for those

patients in hospitals / nursing homes or assessed as high risk in the community

• Use heel protectors for those at risk• Utilise dynamic systems for those where

static systems are not sufficient

Incontinence dermatitis• Severe cases predominantly avoidable in a

24 hours setting• Good continence management• Use of appropriate barrier creams

General Tissue Viability • Good skin management• Use of appropriate moisturisers• Good documentation including evaluation of

any treatment or prevention plans• Appropriate and timely referral on taking into

consideration patient choice

Summary• Personalised care planning taking into

account patient choice• Evaluation of any care plans in a timely

manner• Clear and accurate documentation

Thank youAny questions?