Creating Champions for Skin Integrity: Final Report

The incidence of skin tears, pressure ulcers and chronic leg or foot ulcers increases with age 1-4 and is a serious issue in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). This project focused on preserving skin integrity through the application of evidence to prevention, assessment and management of wounds. The aim of this project was to utilise evidence based strategies to preserve skin integrity and increase implementation of evidence based wound management through implementation of the Champions for Skin Integrity (CSI) Model of practice. To achieve these aims the project initially obtained contextual data on how the participating RACFs assessed, managed and prevented wounds (specifically venous leg ulcers, arterial leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers and skin tears) by quantifying the prevalence of these wound types and undertaking clinical audits, surveys and interviews to assess resident and staff attitudes and knowledge regarding wound management in RACFs. The project team developed, implemented and evaluated an evidence-based model of practice (the Champions for Skin Integrity Model) to promote transference of evidence-based guidelines into practice. As part of the CSI model, a package of resources - the RACF Wound Management Education and Self-evaluation Resource Package – was developed, trialled and evaluated