- Email: [email protected]
Tissue Viability Nurses' Group
Journal of Tissue Viability 2001 Vol 11 No 2
83
Tissue Viability Nurses' Group The Tissue Viability Nurses' Group held its fourth meeting on 7th March at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital, when the main item of business was to agree a draft Constitution for the national association. Significant progress was made towards this goal, and we hope to finalise this at our next meeting, to be held on 9th May. We are currently seeking the views, through the regional tissue viability nurse groups, of potential members (that's you!) on the type and level of services the new association should provide. If your views haven't been canvassed yet, please contact your regional representative and tell them what you want from a national association - if you are not sure who your representative is, please contact your regional group chairperson. Since the last update, the Tissue Viability Society has kindly agreed to provide the TVNG with administrative support for the next year. This will greatly ease the administrative burden on group members, and allow us to concentrate on some of the many issues that are important to you as Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists. We would like to take the opportunity to thank the Society for its interest and support. The TVNG still has much to do, but with your continued interest and support, we should soon be able to offer a dynamic, vigorous and supportive organisation. Bill Haughton Coordinator Tissue Viability Nurses' Group
NATVNS SCOTLAND
National Association of Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists (Scotland) Contact: Chairman, Alison Finnie, 01786 46638, fax 01786 466344 or e-mail aff1 @stir.ac.uk The National Association of Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists (Scotland) is an organisation comprising of Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists, and those who have responsibility for tissue viability services or education
within Scotland. The group exists to promote and support tissue viability nurse specialists, and usually meets quarterly within Central Scotland. The elected committee recently has reorganised and the committee members each will now rotate through the four posts. Alison Finnie Lecturer/Practitioner within the Department of Nursing, University of Stirling is now Chairperson. (Contact 01786 466382/[email protected]) Vice-chair is Pam Cooper, Clinical Nurse Specialist (Tissue Viability) at Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust, Aberdeen. (Contact 01224 554621/ [email protected]) The committee member secretarial roles are shared by Joyce O'Hare, Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist at Forth Valley Primary Care NHS Trust. (Contact 01324 811153) and Ruth Ropper, Tissue Viability Nurse at West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust. Elections to the Committee are held for 2 positions every 2 years ensuring both a continuity and regular renewal of posts. The Scottish Group currently has 29 members from across Scotland. Members are from Acute and Primary Care NHS Trusts, the Independent sector and from tertiary education. Members of the group are extremely active nationally and internationally, and continue to expand in numbers. The Scottish group is currently undertaking a number of projects including: • Working Collaboratively with the National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland on a project to define practice and develop a competency framework for the Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist • Working collaboratively with members of the Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Unit within the Scottish Executive on a Guideline for Pressure Area Care • A sub-group is focusing on a mentorship project for newly appointed TVNs with a view to developing plans to link clinical supervision for Nurse Specialists across Trusts and organisations • Members are also working on developing guidelines to assist TVNs with the process of tendering and contracting.
84
Journal of Tissue Viability 2001 Vo111 No 2
Trentside Contact: Chairman, Louis Hecht, 01522 512 512 Meeting 27th November • Clinical Issues ~Several of the group use RIK products for pressure ulcer prevention in theatres. ~Concern was expressed over sharp edges on 'Carboftex' dressing. ~The Harvest Health Care range of anti-pressure devices was discussed. ~Strike-through. Some members condemn complete mattresses if strike-through has occurred even if there is no staining of the foam core. Others clean with hypochlorite solution then check with swab. There are problems with checking mattresses in the community. ~Anti-pressure ulcer devices for incubators: MSS and Repose will make to measure. Another product is made by Lisclove Ltd. ~Should Health Care Assistants carry out dressings? Consensus was that they should not. ~Should there be a national mechanism for the destruction if condemned foam mattresses. ~Are there other interface pressure monitors other than the Oxford Pressure Monitor Mark II and the Diastern Monitor?
South Contact: Membership Secretary, Cathy Malone, 01279 827 515 Chairman: Krzysztof Gebhardt, 0208 725 2230/0208 672 1255 bleep 6152 • A working group was set up to consider the Pressure Ulcer Benchmark in the context of the 'Essence of Care' document when it is published. This group would welcome interested members from other regwns. • Jacqui Fletcher has registered the TVNG as a stakeholder group in matters relating to tissue viability. Tissue Viability Specialists UK-wide who wish to be kept updated can be put on the E-mailing list. Please send your E-mail details to Jacqui on 01707 285 266. • The Equipment Assessment Sub-group is pursuing involvement with the EPUAP Research Evidence Assessment Programme. • The Tissue Viability Nurse Role is producing a series of documents relating to the role and person specification for CNS-TV as well as weekly activity sheets and activity summaries to assist newly appointed TVNs. • The Education Working Group is developing a questionnaire to send to educational establishments to solicit information on teaching courses in Tissue
Viability and any regulations relating to the accumulation and transfer of CATS points. When this information is obtained, a data base will be set up, local initially but with the potential of building up a national database. • The Surgical Dressing Manufacturers Association has published a code of practice for its members which includes a complaints procedure. The aim of the code is to maintain high standards of ethics in the promotion of surgical dressings to healthcare professionals. Copies of the code can be obtained from the SDMA, c/o Quality Management Services, 70 Egremont Road, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 4ES (tel: 01706 641 035). • Anne Fowler is developing 'Recommendations for Good Practice on Wound Debridement' as a result of concerns raised over nurses practising sharp debridement without appropriate cover of protocol. If anyone is working on similar projects, please get in touch via the Chairman.
83
Tissue Viability Nurses' Group The Tissue Viability Nurses' Group held its fourth meeting on 7th March at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital, when the main item of business was to agree a draft Constitution for the national association. Significant progress was made towards this goal, and we hope to finalise this at our next meeting, to be held on 9th May. We are currently seeking the views, through the regional tissue viability nurse groups, of potential members (that's you!) on the type and level of services the new association should provide. If your views haven't been canvassed yet, please contact your regional representative and tell them what you want from a national association - if you are not sure who your representative is, please contact your regional group chairperson. Since the last update, the Tissue Viability Society has kindly agreed to provide the TVNG with administrative support for the next year. This will greatly ease the administrative burden on group members, and allow us to concentrate on some of the many issues that are important to you as Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists. We would like to take the opportunity to thank the Society for its interest and support. The TVNG still has much to do, but with your continued interest and support, we should soon be able to offer a dynamic, vigorous and supportive organisation. Bill Haughton Coordinator Tissue Viability Nurses' Group
NATVNS SCOTLAND
National Association of Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists (Scotland) Contact: Chairman, Alison Finnie, 01786 46638, fax 01786 466344 or e-mail aff1 @stir.ac.uk The National Association of Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists (Scotland) is an organisation comprising of Tissue Viability Nurse Specialists, and those who have responsibility for tissue viability services or education
within Scotland. The group exists to promote and support tissue viability nurse specialists, and usually meets quarterly within Central Scotland. The elected committee recently has reorganised and the committee members each will now rotate through the four posts. Alison Finnie Lecturer/Practitioner within the Department of Nursing, University of Stirling is now Chairperson. (Contact 01786 466382/[email protected]) Vice-chair is Pam Cooper, Clinical Nurse Specialist (Tissue Viability) at Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust, Aberdeen. (Contact 01224 554621/ [email protected]) The committee member secretarial roles are shared by Joyce O'Hare, Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist at Forth Valley Primary Care NHS Trust. (Contact 01324 811153) and Ruth Ropper, Tissue Viability Nurse at West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust. Elections to the Committee are held for 2 positions every 2 years ensuring both a continuity and regular renewal of posts. The Scottish Group currently has 29 members from across Scotland. Members are from Acute and Primary Care NHS Trusts, the Independent sector and from tertiary education. Members of the group are extremely active nationally and internationally, and continue to expand in numbers. The Scottish group is currently undertaking a number of projects including: • Working Collaboratively with the National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland on a project to define practice and develop a competency framework for the Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist • Working collaboratively with members of the Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Unit within the Scottish Executive on a Guideline for Pressure Area Care • A sub-group is focusing on a mentorship project for newly appointed TVNs with a view to developing plans to link clinical supervision for Nurse Specialists across Trusts and organisations • Members are also working on developing guidelines to assist TVNs with the process of tendering and contracting.
84
Journal of Tissue Viability 2001 Vo111 No 2
Trentside Contact: Chairman, Louis Hecht, 01522 512 512 Meeting 27th November • Clinical Issues ~Several of the group use RIK products for pressure ulcer prevention in theatres. ~Concern was expressed over sharp edges on 'Carboftex' dressing. ~The Harvest Health Care range of anti-pressure devices was discussed. ~Strike-through. Some members condemn complete mattresses if strike-through has occurred even if there is no staining of the foam core. Others clean with hypochlorite solution then check with swab. There are problems with checking mattresses in the community. ~Anti-pressure ulcer devices for incubators: MSS and Repose will make to measure. Another product is made by Lisclove Ltd. ~Should Health Care Assistants carry out dressings? Consensus was that they should not. ~Should there be a national mechanism for the destruction if condemned foam mattresses. ~Are there other interface pressure monitors other than the Oxford Pressure Monitor Mark II and the Diastern Monitor?
South Contact: Membership Secretary, Cathy Malone, 01279 827 515 Chairman: Krzysztof Gebhardt, 0208 725 2230/0208 672 1255 bleep 6152 • A working group was set up to consider the Pressure Ulcer Benchmark in the context of the 'Essence of Care' document when it is published. This group would welcome interested members from other regwns. • Jacqui Fletcher has registered the TVNG as a stakeholder group in matters relating to tissue viability. Tissue Viability Specialists UK-wide who wish to be kept updated can be put on the E-mailing list. Please send your E-mail details to Jacqui on 01707 285 266. • The Equipment Assessment Sub-group is pursuing involvement with the EPUAP Research Evidence Assessment Programme. • The Tissue Viability Nurse Role is producing a series of documents relating to the role and person specification for CNS-TV as well as weekly activity sheets and activity summaries to assist newly appointed TVNs. • The Education Working Group is developing a questionnaire to send to educational establishments to solicit information on teaching courses in Tissue
Viability and any regulations relating to the accumulation and transfer of CATS points. When this information is obtained, a data base will be set up, local initially but with the potential of building up a national database. • The Surgical Dressing Manufacturers Association has published a code of practice for its members which includes a complaints procedure. The aim of the code is to maintain high standards of ethics in the promotion of surgical dressings to healthcare professionals. Copies of the code can be obtained from the SDMA, c/o Quality Management Services, 70 Egremont Road, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 4ES (tel: 01706 641 035). • Anne Fowler is developing 'Recommendations for Good Practice on Wound Debridement' as a result of concerns raised over nurses practising sharp debridement without appropriate cover of protocol. If anyone is working on similar projects, please get in touch via the Chairman.