Clinical audit of leg ulceration prevalence in a community area: a case study of good practice

Abstract

This article presents the findings of an audit on venous leg ulceration prevalence in a community area as a framework for discussing the concept and importance of audit as a tool to inform practice and as a means to benchmark care against national or international standards. It is hoped that the discussed audit will practically demonstrate how such procedures can be implemented in practice for those who have not yet undertaken it, as well as highlighting the unexpected extra benefits of this type of qualitative data collection that can often unexpectedly inform practice and influence change. Audit can be used to measure, monitor and disseminate evidence-based practice across community localities, facilitating the identification of learning needs and the instigation of clinical change, thereby prioritising patient needs by ensuring safety through the benchmarking of clinical practice.

Assessing the value of practice-based leg ulcer education to inform recommendations for change in practice

“…The delivery of good quality of care can no longer be assumed however, it has been recognised that nurses sometimes find it difficult to implement guidelines (Hindley, 2014).…”

“…The use of clinical audits in practice are an effective tool to inform and benchmark practice against national and international standards (Hindley, 2014). The nurses found the use of audit within the module invaluable in terms of assessing current practice, service provision and providing a rationale for change (Hopkins, 2010).…”

“…The nurses found the use of audit within the module invaluable in terms of assessing current practice, service provision and providing a rationale for change (Hopkins, 2010). Auditing a practice area before change can help to identify need, motivate staff and sustain the change if outcomes are fed back to the appropriate teams (Hindley, 2014). Furthermore, the literature suggests that improved education and training in wound care leads to better outcomes for patients and improved record keeping amongst Healthcare professionals (EWMA, 2016;Lagerin et al, 2007 Summary Continuous education is a prerequisite in nursing to ensure standards are met, maintained and patients are placed at the centre of their care.…”