PURPOSE: To describe 1) smoking cessation (SC) interventions by Family Practice Nurses (FPN) during prenatal visits, and 2) the predictors and barriers of FPN-provided SC counselling for pregnant women. DESIGN: Non-experimental, descriptive, correlational design. Onetime, cross-sectional questionnaire using a previously validated questionnaire, modified and converted to electronic format. METHODS: Descriptive and multivariable analysis. Predictors investigated included nurses’ age, beliefs about their role in SC, self-efficacy to provide effective counselling, SC training, and interest in updating SC knowledge. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-nine members of the Ontario Family Practice Nurses’ interest group (18% response rate) working in primary care settings across Ontario. RESULTS: Nearly one quarter (21.5%) of respondents never offer SC counselling to pregnant women. Nurses with higher levels of self-efficacy were more likely to provide SC counselling. Nurses are less likely to provide concrete assistance in the quitting process or arrange follow-up. The most commonly cited barriers included lack of time and cost of medication. CONCLUSIONS: FPNs are not consistently providing evidence-based SC interventions for pregnant women. Training to enhance self-efficacy may increase the frequency, efficiency and quality of FPN-provided SC interventions.

No description available.

INTRODUÇÃO: As diretrizes para Análise de Impacto Orçamentário (AIO) têm a finalidade de padronizar os estudos, tornando-os úteis e compreensíveis para os tomadores de decisão. Avaliar a concordância dessas diretrizes às recomendações de boas práticas para elaboração de AIO da Internacional Society for Pharmacoeconomic and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) e conhececer a metodologia do desenvolvimento por meio do instrumento Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation Instrument (AGREE II) podem contribuir para um conhecimento dos itens de maior relevância para a promoção de padronização e de transparência dos estudos de AIO. OBJETIVO: Revisar sistematicamente as diretrizes para a elaboração de AIO. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizadas as bases de dados Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) (via PubMed), Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE) (via Elsevier), Cochrane Library, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), HTA Database (via Centre for Reviews and Dissemination - CRD) e Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS); websites de organizações de avaliações de tecnologias em saúde e Ministérios da Saúde dos países membros da Organização das Nações Unidas. O critério de inclusão foi tratar-se de diretriz metodológica com recomendações para a elaboração de AIO. O processo de seleção foi realizado por dois revisores de forma independente e, no caso de discordância, por um terceiro revisor. Os instrumentos utilizados foram recomendações de boas práticas para a elaboração de AIO da ISPOR e o AGREE II. Esta revisão foi relatada de acordo com o Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA). RESULTADOS: Foram incluídas 17 diretrizes. O período de publicação ocorreu de 2006 a 2018. Das diretrizes incluídas, dez eram atualizações. Mais da metade (10 de 17) estava incluída em documentos para outros tipos de avaliação econômica em saúde e sete eram diretrizes específicas para AIO. Essas apresentaram concordância com as recomendações da ISPOR de 30% a 92% e as diretrizes incluídas em documentos para outros tipos de avaliação econômica em saúde apresentaram concordância de 19% a 70%. A avaliação metodológica por meio do instrumento AGREE II apresentou uma pontuação de 18% (DP ±12%) no domínio rigor metodológico e de 15% (DP ±23%) no domínio independência; para as diretrizes específicas para AIO, a pontuação foi de 26% (DP ±32%) e para as diretrizes com mais de um tipo de avaliação econômica em saúde, de 8% (DP ±13%). CONCLUSÃO: A concordância das diretrizes para a elaboração de AIO foi maior nas diretrizes específicas para AIO. Quanto à análise da metodologia, 15 diretrizes apresentaram baixa qualidade metodológica no domínio rigor metodológico, sendo recomendável explicitar o processo do desenvolvimento metodológico / INTRODUCTION: The guidelines for Budgetary Impact Analysis (BIA) aim to standardize studies, making them useful and understandable to decision makers. To evaluate the agreement of these guidelines to the recommendations of good practices for the preparation of BIA of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomic and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) and to know the development methodology through the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Instrument (AGREE II) can contribute to a knowledge of the most relevant items to promote a standardization and transparency of BIA studies. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the guidelines for elaborating budget impact analysis. METHODS: We used the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE) (via Elsevier), Cochrane Library, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED) and HTA Database (via Center for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS); on the websites of the following organizations health technology assessment and of the Ministries of Health of the member countries of the United Nations. The inclusion criterion was to be methodological guidelines with recommendations for the elaboration of BIA. The selection process was carried out by two reviewers independently and in the case of disagreement, a third reviewer. The instruments used were those of ISPOR and AGREE II. This review has been reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA). RESULTS: 17 guidelines were included. The publication period occurred from 2006 to 2018. Of the guidelines included, ten were updates. More than half (10 out of 17) were included in documents for other types of economic health assessment and only seven guidelines were BIA-specific documents. The specific BIA guidelines were in agreement with the ISPOR recommendations from 30% to 92% and the guidelines for BIA included in documents for other types of health economic assessment presented agreement from 19% to 70%. The methodological evaluation using the AGREE II instrument presented a score of 18% (SD ±12%) in the methodological rigor domain and 15% (DP ±23%) in the independence domain, for the specific guidelines for AIO was 26% (SD ± 32%) and guidelines with more than one type of health economic assessment, 8% (SD ± 13%). CONCLUSION: A greater adherence to the recommendations of ISPOR was observed in the BIA-specific guidelines. As regards the methodology analysis, 15 guidelines presented low quality in the methodological rigor domain, and it is advisable to explain the process of methodological development

O envelhecimento da população implica em aumento da prevalência de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (DCNT) e uso de polifarmácia (uso de 5 ou mais medicamentos concomitantemente). Porém, o uso de medicamentos pode ter um efeito negativo em pacientes com multimorbidade. Entende-se como competição terapêutica (CT) a interação medicamento-doença em que o tratamento recomendado para certa condição pode alterar negativamente (competir com) outra condição coexistente. Neste âmbito, o objetivo principal deste trabalho foi estimar a prevalência de CT e avaliar características associadas à CT em idosos da comunidade. O presente estudo usou como base o estudo populacional de idosos do município de São Paulo: Estudo Saúde, Bem-estar e Envelhecimento, onda 2015. As CTs foram definidas a partir de guias de prática clínica (GPCs) com alta qualidade, selecionados a partir de revisão sistemática e avaliação da qualidade. Somente cerca de um quarto dos GPC apresentaram alta qualidade e foram usados para extração das CTs. A média de idade dos 1.224 idosos do SABE foi 70,8, 56,2% eram mulheres, 84% viviam acompanhados, 27,5% estudaram 9 anos e mais, quase 50% declararam renda insuficiente para cobrir com as despesas diárias, metade autoavaliaram a saúde como regular ou ruim, cerca de 40% relataram polifarmácia. Estatinas, inibidores da enzima de recaptação de angiotensina e inibidores da bomba de próton foram as classes de medicamentos mais relatadas. Multimorbidade foi reportada por 61,7% dos idosos. A prevalência de CT foi de 13,2%. Entre idosos com multimorbidade, a prevalência de CT foi de 21,4%. No modelo final de regressão logística, CT foi associada com polifarmácia (OR: 4,70; IC 95% 3,00 7,36), hospitalização no último ano (OR: 1,75; IC 95% 1,07 2,87), queda no último ano (OR: 1,57; IC 95% 1,04 2,36) e pior autoavaliação de saúde (OR: 1,92; IC 95% 1,23 2,99). Profissionais de saúde devem ter cautela ao selecionar GPC e ao prescrever medicamentos a idosos com multimorbidade. / Aging implies in an increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and polypharmacy use (use of 5 or more medications concomitantly). However, medications may have a negative effect on patients with multimorbidity. Therapeutic competition (TC) is known as a drug-disease interaction in which the treatment recommended for a certain condition can negatively alter (compete with) another coexisting condition. In this context, the main objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of TC and evaluate characteristics associated with TC in community dwelling older adults. The present study used the population-based study of older adults living in the city of São Paulo (SABE study, 2015 survey). TCs were identified by using clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) with high quality. A systematic review and critical appraisal of CPGs were conducted to identify high-quality CPGs. Only about a quarter of CPGs were of high quality and were used for CT extraction. A total of 80 CTs were identified from the high-quality CPGs. The mean age of the 1,224 SABE participants was 70.8, 56.2% were women, 84% did not live alone, 27.5% studied 9 years and over, almost 50% declared insufficient income to cover daily expenses, half self-assessed health, such as regular or poor, about 40% reported polypharmacy. Statins, angiotensin-reuptake enzyme inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors were the most commonly reported drug classes. Multimorbidity was reported by 61.7% seniors. The prevalence of TC was 13.2%. Among seniors with multimorbidity, the prevalence of TC was 21.4%. In the final logistic regression model, TC was associated with polypharmacy (OR: 4.70, 95% CI 3.00 - 7.36), hospitalization in the last year (OR: 1.75, 95% CI 1.07-2 , 95% CI 1.04 - 2.36) and worse health self - assessment (OR: 1.92, 95% CI 1.23 - 2.99), a decrease in the last year (OR: 1.57; Health professionals should be careful when selecting CPGs and prescribing medications to older adults with multimorbidity.

A lack of consistent, evidence-based practices for blood lead testing of children existed in a local public health department (LHD). No known blood lead level is safe, and toxicity can result in behavioral and cognitive impairments. The purpose of this project was to develop and analyze a clinical practice guideline to establish blood lead testing procedures in the LHD to improve testing procedures and enhance future testing within the jurisdiction. The RE-AIM framework was used to address the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the clinical practice guideline. Five experts evaluated the guideline using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation instrument. The assessment results indicated 96.4% agreement across all domains. The experts agreed unanimously to recommend adoption of the clinical practice guideline. Implementation of the guideline might advance nursing practice and patient care in the LHD through incorporation of evidence-based practices. Implementation might also lead to early identification of lead-burdened children and may provide the opportunity for treatment to mitigate cognitive and behavioral deficits related to lead toxicity, thereby improving child health and decreasing related health care costs. Engagement of the clinical practice guideline will support positive social change through the empowerment of public health nurses to provide optimal care to a population of children at risk of deleterious and long-term side effects of lead exposure.

Ständige Weiterentwicklungen von Behandlungsmöglichkeiten, die Technisierung der Medizin und die Liberalisierung des Gesundheitssystems führen auf Seiten der Versorger zu vermehrten Anstrengungen, die eigenen Geschäftsprozesse in Klinischen Pfaden zu dokumentieren, um auf dieser Basis eine medizinische und betriebswirtschaftliche Optimierung durchzuführen. Für die Entwicklung Klinischer Pfade ist die Einbeziehung Medizinischer Leitlinien unablässig, da sie für definierte Symptomkomplexe den aktuellen Stand der Forschung aggregieren. Gleichwohl sind sie Schulungsunterlagen, direkte Entscheidungshilfen oder Aufklärungsdokumente für Patienten und damit keinesfalls ausschließlich auf die Entwicklung Klinischer Pfade ausgerichtet. Dadurch geht die Leitlinien-getriebene Entwicklung Klinischer Pfade mit einem hohen interpretativen Aufwand auf Seiten der Anwender einher. Aus der Motivation diesen Prozess methodisch zu unterstützen, leitet sich die zentrale Forschungsfrage der Arbeit ab: Wie kann eine Methode gestaltet sein, die eine zielgerichtete Ableitung von Klinischen Pfaden aus Medizinischen Leitlinien zulässt? Dieser Frage nimmt sich die vorliegende Arbeit an und präsentiert einen referenzmodellbasierten Ansatz, diese bestehende methodische Lücke zu schließen. Das Lösungsartefakt setzt dabei direkt auf Seiten der Medizinischen Leitlinie an. Die Methode, kurz MAC, besteht aus drei Methodenfragmenten: dem Rollenmodell, in welchem die Aufgabenträgertypen und ihre Verantwortlichkeiten beschrieben werden, dem Produktfragment, welches den Entwurf einer Modellierungssprache zur Kodierung von Medizinischen Leitlinien und deren Wiederverwendung in Klinischen Pfaden auf Basis einer Referenzmodelladaption vorsieht, und dem Vorgehensmodell, in dem Handlungsanweisungen für die zuvor beschriebenen Aufgabenträgertypen spezifiziert sind. Die Arbeit leistet damit einen Beitrag zum Methodenspektrum der Wirtschaftsinformatik. Forschungsmethodisch ordnet sich die Arbeit in die gestaltungsorientierte Artefaktforschung (Design Science) ein.

Submitted by JULIANA SOUZA UZELOTO null (juliana_uzeloto@hotmail.com) on 2016-06-21T17:32:29Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Defesa corrigida.pdf: 733210 bytes, checksum: 1fa0d39c72ee0d5ab9cc81d7c1b4bf2b (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-06-23T16:35:36Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 uzeloto_js_me_prud.pdf: 733210 bytes, checksum: 1fa0d39c72ee0d5ab9cc81d7c1b4bf2b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-23T16:35:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 uzeloto_js_me_prud.pdf: 733210 bytes, checksum: 1fa0d39c72ee0d5ab9cc81d7c1b4bf2b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Introdução: Mulheres tabagistas apresentam maior susceptibilidade para diversas doenças, em relação ao sexo oposto. Porém não há estudos que mostrem se há diferença no comportamento do transporte mucociliar nasal entre tabagistas homens e mulheres. É certo que nem todos os tabagistas desenvolvem doenças respiratórias crônicas, no entanto, o tabagismo é considerado um importante fator de risco para essas doenças. Assim, entende-se que além de avaliar o sistema respiratório dos tabagistas, a pesquisa no desfecho da saúde do pulmão de tabagistas é essencial, já que a maioria dos pacientes atendidos na fisioterapia respiratória é doente pulmonar crônico. Objetivos: Comparar a transportabilidade mucociliar nasal de homens e mulheres tabagistas levando em consideração a idade, dados antropométricos, carga tabagística, variáveis hemodinâmicas e função pulmonar. Além de avaliar sistematicamente a qualidade de diretrizes para doenças respiratórias crônicas, relevantes para a prática da fisioterapia, por meio do instrumento AGREE II e também avaliar a confiabilidade entre os avaliadores do instrumento AGREE II. Métodos: Foram inclusos na análise um total de 70 indivíduos tabagistas (33 homens e 37 mulheres). Todos responderam a uma entrevista inicial para obtenção dos dados pessoais e carga tabagística, foram mensurados os dados antropométricos, sinais vitais e monóxido de carbono no ar exalado, além disso, foram submetidos ao teste de função pulmonar e ao teste do tempo de trânsito de sacarina (TTS). Para análise do segundo objetivo foram avaliados, por quatro avaliadores, diretrizes sobre doença respiratória crônica, indexadas na base de dados PEDro, por meio do instrumento AGREE II (seis domínios e dois itens globais). Resultados e Conclusões: Na comparação da transportabilidade mucociliar nasal entre homens e mulheres, não foi encontrada diferenças significativas dentre as análises realizadas, mesmo realizando estratificações das variáveis, ou seja, o transporte mucociliar nasal de homens e mulheres adultos tabagistas, aparentemente saudáveis, é semelhante. Além disso, a qualidade das diretrizes de prática clínica baseadas em evidência, para doenças respiratórias crônicas, relevantes para a prática da fisioterapia podem ser melhoradas, particularmente no domínio aplicabilidade. A boa confiabilidade apresentada sugere que o número de avaliadores para o AGREE II possa ser reduzido. / Introduction: Female smokers have increased susceptibility to various diseases in the opposite sex. But there are no studies that show if there are differences in the behavior of nasal mucociliary transport between smokers men and women. It is sure that not all smokers develop chronic respiratory diseases, however, smoking is considered a major risk factor for these diseases. Thus, it is understood that in addition to evaluating the respiratory system of smokers, research in the outcome of smokers lung health is essential, since most of the patients seen in respiratory therapy is chronic pulmonary patient. Objectives: To compare the nasal mucociliary transportability of male and female smokers taking into consideration the age, anthropometric data, smoking load, hemodynamics and lung function. In addition to systematically assess the quality of guidelines for chronic respiratory diseases relevant to the practice of physiotherapy, through the AGREE II instrument and also assess the reliability of the evaluators of the AGREE II instrument. Methods: We included in the analysis a total of 70 smokers (33 men and 37 women). All responded to an initial interview to obtain personal data and smoking load, anthropometric data were measured, vital signs and carbon monoxide in exhaled air, moreover, underwent lung function test and the saccharin transit time test (STT). For analysis of the second objective guidelines indexed in the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) on chronic respiratory diseases were evaluated by four assessors using AGREE II (six domains and two global items). Results and Conclusions: In comparison of nasal mucociliary transportability between men and women, there was no significant difference among the analyzes, even performing stratifications of variables, so the nasal mucociliary transport of men and women smokers adult apparently healthy, is similar. Moreover, the quality of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for chronic respiratory diseases relevant to physiotherapy could be improved, particularly with regard to applicability. The number of assessors for AGREE II could be reduced because of the good inter-rater reliability. / FAPESP: 2014/11970-3 / FAPESP: 2015/13353-4

In 2007, the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) released a guideline aimed at preventing complications of neonatal jaundice through universal screening and guidelines for follow-up and treatment. This thesis investigates the impact of implementation of the CPS guideline on health services utilization at a population level in Ontario. First, we surveyed all Ontario hospitals providing maternal-newborn services to determine if and when they had implemented universal bilirubin screening, and to gather information about the organization of services to provide follow-up and treatment, and about the factors that influenced screening implementation. Then we conducted two population-based cohort studies using linked administrative health data to evaluate the association between 1) the implementation of universal bilirubin screening and phototherapy use (during and following birth hospitalization) length of stay (LOS), jaundice-related emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions; and 2) universal bilirubin screening implementation and access to recommended follow-up care by socio-economic status (SES). By 2012, the majority of Ontario hospitals had implemented universal bilirubin screening. There is heterogeneity in how hospitals organize services, but a notable trend towards hospital-based post-discharge care. Screening was associated with an increase in phototherapy during hospitalization at birth (relative risk (RR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.59), and a decrease in jaundice-related ED visits (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.96), but no statistically significant difference in phototherapy after discharge, length of stay, or jaundice-related readmissions after accounting for pre-existing temporal trends in healthcare service use and other patient socio-demographic and hospital characteristics. Implementation of the universal bilirubin screening in Ontario was associated with a modest increase in rates of early follow-up (adjusted RR 1.11, CI 1.0014-1.22, p=0.0468), but most babies were not seen within the recommended timeframe. Babies of lowest SES were least likely to receive recommended follow-up, and disparities in follow-up increased following universal bilirubin screening implementation. En 2007, la Société canadienne de pédiatrie (SCP) a publié une directive visant à la prévention des complications de l'ictère néonatal par le dépistage universel et des lignes directrices pour le suivi et le traitement. Cette thèse étudie l'impact de la mise en œuvre de la directive SCP sur l'utilisation des services de santé à niveau de population de l'Ontario. Tout d'abord, nous avons interrogé tous les hôpitaux de l'Ontario offrant des services de santé maternelle-nouveau-né afin de déterminer si et quand ils avaient mis en œuvre le dépistage universel de la bilirubine, et à recueillir des informations sur l'organisation des services pour assurer un suivi et de traitement, et sur les facteurs qui ont influencé la mise en œuvre de dépistage. Ensuite, nous avons mené deux études de cohorte basée sur la population à partir de données administratives sur la santé pour évaluer 1 ) l'association entre la mise en œuvre du dépistage de la bilirubine universel et la photothérapie utilisation lors de l'hospitalisation à la naissance, la photothérapie après avoir sortie de l'hôpital, la durée du séjour, le service des urgences liées à la jaunisse et des réadmissions liées à la jaunisse; et 2 ) l'association entre la mise en œuvre du dépistage universel et l'accès aux soins de suivi recommandés et si cela différait entre les quintiles de statut socioéconomique. En 2012, la majorité des hôpitaux de l'Ontario a mis en œuvre le dépistage universel de la bilirubine. Il existe une hétérogénéité de la façon dont les hôpitaux organisent des services, mais une tendance notable vers les soins post-décharge en milieu hospitalier. Le dépistage a été associé à une augmentation de la photothérapie pendant l'hospitalisation à la naissance (risque relatif (RR) de 1,32, intervalle de confiance 95 % (IC 95 %) de 1,09 à 1,59), et une diminution des visites à l'urgence liées à la jaunisse (RR 0,79, IC 95 % 0,64 à 0,96), mais aucune différence statistiquement significative dans la photothérapie après la sortie , la durée du séjour , ou réadmissions liées jaunisse - après comptabilisation des tendances temporelles pré- existants dans l'utilisation des services de soins de santé et d'autres caractéristiques socio- démographiques des patients et caractéristiques de l'hôpital. La mise en œuvre de le dépistage universel en Ontario a été associée à une légère augmentation des taux de suivi précoce (RR ajusté 1,11; IC de 1,0014 à 1,22; p = 0,0468), mais la plupart des bébés n'ont pas été vues dans les délais recommandés. Les bébés de statut socioéconomique faibles étaient moins susceptibles de recevoir de soins de suivi recommandés et les disparités dans le suivi ont augmenté suite à la mise en œuvre du dépistage universel de la bilirubine.

The absence of a practice guideline for peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the cardiology department creates differing practice preferences among providers, leading to deviations in practice among staff. Variations in practice can affect the quality of care that is provided to patients. This project was guided by research statements indicating that there was a difference in the screening approach for PAD among health practitioners at preimplementation and postimplementation and that an 85% compliance with the guideline would signify consistency in the provision of care. Rogers' theory of diffusion of innovations was used to facilitate the adoption of the guideline. This project helped close the gap between research (adoption of a guideline) and practice (compliance in the use of evidence in clinical practice). Using random medical record reviews and pretest-posttest design, the results of the project showed that patterns of using the PAD guideline in practice at preimplementation significantly differed compared to postimplementation. The rates of screening for the compliance of the PAD guideline showed approximately an eightfold increase. The adoption of the PAD guideline has implications for policy, because adopting the PAD guideline helped standardize the care, improve effectiveness of care in nursing practice, evaluate quality through use of research, and promote social change by improving patient outcomes.

Pressure ulcers (PUs) present intrinsic risk factors that are not consistently identified by clinical assessments. The objective of this project was to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to provide nurses with guidance in identifying and differentiating how intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors are associated with populations at risk for developing avoidable and unavoidable PUs. CPG development followed a systematic method to search the literature, organize findings, and assess the strength of the resulting evidence and its applicability to the CPG. Quality of the CPG was assessed by a panel of 8 health care professionals using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation II instrument. Findings of the assessment indicated a high overall quality of the CPG; its immediate use was recommended and systematic evaluation was suggested to promote usage in a wider array of health care contexts. The quality domains with the highest scores were scope, purpose, applicability, editorial independence (all 100%), rigor of development (99.7%), and clarity of presentation (99.3%). The stakeholder involvement domain demonstrated the lowest--yet still robust--score (94.4%). The CPG can be used to emphasize appropriate and specific nursing competencies for making informed decisions when identifying and describing patients at risk for developing PUs. Further research and evaluation of the use of this CPG will be useful to demonstrate how CPGs can help to decrease the incidence of avoidable PUs. The potential for positive social change relative to the prevention of PUs is high. Decreased incidence of preventable PUs will eliminate unnecessary health care costs and improve overall health outcomes of patients at all levels of socioeconomic status.