Paper 4 Citation: Thomason SS, Evitt CP, Harrow JJ, Love L, Moore DH, Mullins MA, Powell-Cope G, Nelson AL.

Providers’ perceptions of spinal cord injury pressure ulcer guidelines

J Spinal Cord Med. 2007;30:117-126.

Abstract:
Clinical guidelines were published by the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine in 2000 to provide a framework for the treatment of pressure ulcers in spinal cord injury.[1] Evidence was varied for each of the 32 recommendations made in the areas of prevention, nutrition, assessment following onset, treatment, complications, and support surfaces and positioning for managing tissue loads. The data collection included survey and focus group methods with 24 physicians and 36 nurses attending a professional conference. The results suggested good agreement with focus group attendees for six of the recommendations. The level of implementation within their sites was varied, with nurses suggesting a lower level of implementation and physicians perceiving a higher level of implementation. Barriers suggested by the groups to implementation of the guidelines included the need for evidence, complexity of the document, organizational factors, inadequate knowledge, and inadequate resources.

Key words:
pressure ulcer, guidelines, evidence-based medicine, spinal cord injury, provider perceptions