When trying to prevent the recurrence of leg ulcers, many community nurses find it hard to get patients to concord with compression devices and techniques, particulary over the long term.
This article looks at a new adjustable Velcro compression device, juxtalite (part of the juxta® range; medi UK), which is designed to be simple to apply. It has built-in pressure system (BPSTM) that allows the nurse to accurately monitor the level of compression being applied to the limb, ensuring a therapeutic level of compression is maintained. Here, the author relates her own expreience of using the juxta system (in particular the juxalite version) through a series of case studies that show how the system aids patient concordance with treatment over an extended period of time.
Venous leg ulcers make up a large part of a district nurse’s caseload, with the application of compression bandaging requiring competent and skilled practitioners. At Central and North West London Foundation Trust (CNWL) Camden Integrated Primary Care (IPC) Service recruiting and retaining community nurses is a challenge, a situation which is shared across all London boroughs. In particular, it is difficult to maintain consistent standards for wound cleansing and compression bandaging, resulting in the responsibility for a large caseload falling to a small number of practitioners. Following a review of innovative products on show at the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) conference in May 2014, an alternative to traditional compression bandaging was identified as a possible solution to this problem; namely, UCS™ for effective debridement and Juxta CURES™ as an alternative to compression bandaging (both medi UK Ltd, Hereford). A total of 26 patients evaluated the products, which were found to be more clinically effective than previous regimens and also resulted in substantial cost savings.
Fiona Wondergem describes a dermatology prescribing case study utilising a patient centred approach.
Fiona Wondergem MSc, BSc (Hons), PG Dip HV, PG Dip HPE, RGN, RSCN, Independent & Supplementary Prescriber V300 is a Senior Lecturer, University of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
Article accepted for publication: December 2011
Irene Speding gives a brief overview of a case study involving a lady with chronic oedema
Irene Speding, RGN, NDNcert, BSc (Hons), Dip Diabetic Care/Stoma Care is a Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist, South of Tyne and Wear NHS Trust serving Sunderland & Gateshead PCT
Article accepted for publication: September 2007
Evelyn Frowen discusses a case report demonstrating improvements in quality of life for a patient with a non-healing venous ulcer using a short-stretch bandage system
Evelyn Frowen RGN is an Associate Clinical Nurse Specialist (Community), Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust
Article accepted for publication: April 2009
