Special Sessions

The provision of education for health care professionals is considered to be a fundamental aspect in preventing and treating pressure ulcers. Research suggests that by equipping healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes they will gain the necessary   competencies. Based on this premise we can significantly reduce the incidence and impact of pressure ulcers, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of care. It is reasonable to assume therefore that pressure ulcer prevention and treatment are core curriculum topics across all professions. Indeed, ideally this would take place within an interprofessional education context. We do know however that there is a lot of variation across countries and professional groupings as to how and when PU education is delivered. In resource intensive and content heavy health professional curricula, there can also be barriers to ensuring that PU education is fully included. This panel discussion aims to explore these differences and similarities across the health professions and crucially also aims to include the voice of those who are at risk of, or suffering from, PUs.