PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2020
CANADIAN PRESSURE INJURY ADVISORY PANEL LAUNCHED TO IMPROVE PRESSURE INJURY PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT
OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA. The Canadian Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (CPIAP) was formed in an effort to drive change and improve the lives of individuals suffering from or at risk for pressure injuries across Canada. The CPIAP represents a collaboration of leading healthcare professionals which transcends disciplines and sectors of healthcare. CPIAP aims to improve care of Canadians within the healthcare system and promote a collaborative approach to tackling the problem of pressure injuries across Canada. The formation of the CPIAP will be a vehicle to ensure that Canadian interests are represented on global pressure injury prevention and management initiatives.
There exists limited pan-Canadian literature related to the extent of pressure injuries across Canada. According to an early study in 2004, it was estimated that the overall prevalence of pressure injuries across all institutions studied was 26 per cent (Woodbury & Houghton, 2004). The prevalence remains unchanged over the last fifteen years. Given Canada’s aging population, further research is needed to better understand the impact of pressure injuries across the continuum of care.
The CPIAP is represented by a group of interprofessional experts in the prevention and management of pressure injuries who have come together to:
customize International Pressure Injury Guidelines for Canada,
raise public awareness related to pressure injury prevention and management,
advocate for practice change locally, provincially, and federally
enhance the scientific evidence that will support evidence-based practice and offer day to day strategies healthcare professionals can use to reduce the risk of pressure injuries
act as a change agent to help with knowledge exchange and adaptation of the best evidence into clinical practice
Two leading Canadian skin and wound experts will be co-chairing the inaugural CPIAP. “The approach to pressure injury prevention and management needs to evolve. Today, healthcare professionals face unique challenges, and we need to ensure that they have the knowledge and the tools to stop pressure injuries before they start,” says Dr. Kimberly LeBlanc, PhD, RN, NSWOC, WOCC(C), Academic Chair of Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence, Wound, Ostomy Continence Institute. “We need to improve pressure injury care across different healthcare settings within a Canadian context. There is a need for a collaborative, united, national voice to advance evidence based care for patient’s suffering from pressure injuries. We have established a movement to do this through CPIAP.” Said Dr. Kevin Woo, PhD RN NSWOC WOCC(C) FAPWCA Associate Professor, Queen’s University.
The CPIAP inaugural advisory panel members will participate in their first virtual meeting on December 14, 2020 and look forward to developing strategies to improve the prevention and management of pressure injuries in all provinces and territories.
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For further information
The CPIAP website will go live November 19, 2020 as part of the global “Stop the Pressure” campaign. Please visit CPIAP.com to learn more about the CPIAP or to find out how you can get involved. CPIAP will be operated as a special interest group pf Nurses Specialized in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Canada (NSWOCC). For further information, please contact the NSWOCC Chief Executive Officer, Catherine Harley at office@nswoc.ca or 1-888-739-5072.