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Case Study
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An outcomes tracking evaluation to assess selected dressings from a range of.hydrocellular polyurethane foam* dressings, in a variety of woundsÑa new.level of clinical evidence? John Cockwill, MS, BS, Smith & Nephew Wound Management Inc, Largo, FL The demand for wound care products is growing rapidly. At the same time there has been an exponential rise in demand for evidence to support clinical nursing practices. Evidence-based medicine has been proposed as a means of closing the gap between research and everyday practice. One of the major difficulties in striving to practice evidence-based medicine is how to determine the Òbest-evidenceÓ for a given situation. Randomized controlled trials (RCTÕs) are considered Ògold standardÓ in terms of clinical evidence but they have limitations with respect to wound care, so other types of evidence must also be considered. Case studies can provide evidence on poorly researched areas and rare complications. They can help to generate hypothesis, direct future research, to share a wound management problem and to share clinical experience The poster presentation will describe how the use of case studies can be taken one step further in the hierarchy of clinical evidence. By setting up an outcomes tracking evaluation of a large number of patients with wounds, using selected dressings from a range of hydrocellular polyurethane foam* dressings, the authors have pooled the outcomes to form a summary of evidence or a mini case-study series. The full details of the number of patients and wound types that have been collected will be summarized in the full poster presentation A new approach of combing Òreal-timeÓ data from a number of case studies may be a useful form of clinical evidence in the medical devices arena *Allevyn range of dressings, Smith & Nephew Inc, Largo, FL Roberts C. Wound management products: the evidence we need and the difficulties in obtaining it. J Tissue Viabil. 1998;8(2):12Ð15 Bradley M, Cullum N, Nelson EA, Petticrew M, Sheldon T, Torgerson D. Systemic reviews of wound care management: dressings and topical agents used in the healing of wounds. Health Technol Assess. 1999;3(17):1Ð35 Benbow M. Mixing dressings: a clinical governance issue? J Community Nurs. 2004;18(3) Nelson EA. The use of case reports in wound care. J Wound Care. 2000;9(1):2326 Collier M. Acceptable evidence? J Wound Care. 1998;7(9):443 Towler J. Influencing clinical practice: evidence-based wound care. Br J Nurs. 2001;10(11 suppl):S44ÐS58 Britton A, McKee M, Black N, et al. Choosing between randomized and non-randomized studies: a systematic review. Health Technol Assess. 1998;2(13) |
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