Congress Abstracts 2005

30

SKIN AND WOUND ACTION TEAM (SWAT): TACTICS TO COMBAT SKIN AND WOUND ISSUES. Pamela Jakubek, MSN, RN, OCN®, CWOCN, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA.

Oncology nurses are faced with many challenges in skin and wound issues. Maintaining an up-to-date base of knowledge regarding wound care can be difficult in this ever changing field. A major comprehensive cancer center developed a SWAT team to address the educational needs of its nurses.

The purpose of this program is to make current skin and wound care management principles and practice standards easily available to clinical nursing staff so that they will be utilized more often. The goal of the program was to develop a team of nurses that; (1) Act as a resource to patients and personnel (2) Act as a role model in skin and wound assesment (3) Participate in data collection of pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence and (4) Participate in evaluation of wound and skin products introduced to the center.

A two-day program was presented to 30 oncology nurses. These nurses represented in-patient units and ambulatory care areas. Program topics included a review of skin and wound assessment, pressure ulcer development and topical treatment options. Hands-on negative pressure wound therapy training was also provided.

Pre and post tests were given. Significant improvements were noted from pre-test to post-test. Program evaluation was obtained via written evaluation and oral feedback. Quarterly pressure ulcer prevalence studies were examined. Significant reduction in hospital aquired pressure ulcer development has been noted since the inception of this program. The SWAT nurses report increased confidence in wound assessment and treatment planning. These nurses now also provide physicians with information regarding cost effective topical treatment options for wounds.

Oncology nurses traditionally focus their learning needs toward oncology issues, however, many oncology patients have wounds and skin care needs. Nursing leaders can initiate programs such as this that will effect nurses’ autonomy and knowledge base regarding wounds, maintain cost effectiveness and improve patient outcomes.