Report of the proceedings of a UK skin safety advisory group

Abstract

Moisture-associated skin damage, especially incontinence-associated dermatitis, continues to present significant health challenges and requires multidisciplinary input to provide effective prevention and treatment. In the absence of mandatory reporting such damage is under- or wrongfully reported, resulting in a lack of accurate data on prevalence and costs of associated care. In March this year, a multidisciplinary team of experts met in the UK to seek to determine measures to improve patient skin care. They aimed to identify activities to increase awareness and education, collect data, and improve prevention and treatment regimes. This article describes that discussion and the conclusions made by the group, such as the key actions required to effect policy changes.

Effectiveness of skin cleanser and protectant regimen on incontinence‐associated dermatitis outcomes in acute care patients: A cluster randomised trial

“…They are applied on soiled skin, with their surfactant content making it easier to subsequently wipe off the incontinent matter using a body wipe or washcloth. 5 , 13 In addition, such cleansers have a pH close to that of healthy skin (pH 4‐6), which do not degrade the skin's inherent acidity compared with traditional skin care media such as soap and water. 10 , 11 , 14 Compared with soap and water, these skin cleansers have been found to reduce the risk of developing IAD and increase the likelihood of IAD skin improvement.…”

The ability of critical care nurses to identify pressure injury and incontinence‐associated dermatitis: A multicentre cross‐sectional survey

“…Given that pressure injury and IAD both tend to occur on patients' buttocks and have relatively similar wound appearance, they can easily cause confusion in clinical identification (Beeckman et al, 2008; Defloor & Schoonhoven, 2004). Although scholars had summarized the relationship and difference between IAD and pressure injury, and clearly proposed ways to accurately identify and judge pressure injury and IAD (Black et al, 2011; Browning et al, 2018; Proceedings of the Global IAD Expert Panel, 2015), there is evidence that healthcare providers have difficulties distinguishing between superficial skin injuries and early‐stage pressure injuries because of the very subtle differences (Francis, 2019). In addition, nurses have been found to demonstrate a low level of knowledge about IAD identification (Şahin et al, 2019; Zhang et al, 2021), as well as the classification of pressure injuries (Deng et al, 2014; Rodriguez‐Calero et al, 2021).…”

Management of incontinence‐associated dermatitis: A systematic review of monetary data

“…Economic and budget limitations, such as nurse scarcities and a high staff turnover, 12,13 urge policy‐makers to decide how to wisely spend appropriate resources for maximum benefit. As a result of the increased costs associated with IAD, insight in the monetary data related to the prevention and treatment regimens to best improve the condition is essential 14 . A distinction can be made between full economic and partial economic evaluations.…”