IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Advances in Skin & Wound Care, Sep 2004 by Hess, Cathy Thomas

A Consensus on Pain Related to Wound Dressings

The World Union of Wound Healing Societies has produced its first international consensus document, which addresses the best principles of practice regarding wound dressings and pain. Titled Minimising Pain at Wound Dressing-Related Procedures, the guide is designed for anyone involved in dressing-related procedures anywhere in the world. The initiative was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Molnlycke Health Care and is currently available in English, German, Italian, French, and Spanish.

The consensus document was inspired by a position document from the European Wound Management Association on "Practical Treatment at Wound Dressing Changes," and from another published document, "Practical Treatment of Wound Pain and Trauma: A Patient-Centered Approach." The principles are based on statements from the 2 documents and the consensus opinion of an international working group.

"It is only in recent years that the importance of pain in caring for patients with wounds has been recognized. There is now an opportunity for individuals, societies and associations to try and improve and influence the way in which practitioners deal with aspects of wound healing and one of those is pain," said Professor Keith Harding, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom.

The document is available at http://www.wuwhs.org.