5th Middle East Wound Care Academy : 9-14th April 2011, Doha, Qatar
Unique programme aims to improve patient care through comprehensive training
Dubai, UAE/Doha, Qatar: Smith & Nephew's Wound Care Academy (WCA) returns to the Middle East, with a 5-day event for wound care professionals and nurses from across the region, taking place in Doha, Qatar from April 10-14th. Now in its fifth year in the region, the WCA is an educational initiative fully sponsored by Smith & Nephew FZE, with a focus on the practical, clinical and theoretical aspects of Advanced Wound Management to help improve wound care skills and to establish protocols and standards for wound care in the region. The programme is open to all nurses in the Middle East region with a limit of 30 delegates per year and more than 150 nurses and specialists have already been through the programme, since it was launched in the Middle East in 2007.
The Wound Care Academy is a comprehensive, 5-day practical and theoretical advanced training course for Wound Care professionals, designed to enhance the knowledge levels of wound management amongst the region's nursing staff and ultimately, to improve patient care. Participants are required to attend the entire program, including all the scheduled sessions and to take part in discussions, evaluations, networking and team building activities.
The treatment of chronic, hard to heal wounds is a significant challenge for the medical - and especially the nursing - profession, which often has to deal with the problems. These range from burns and post operative wounds, to leg ulcers, pressure ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers, which are increasingly common in a region plagued by diabetes. Chronic wounds are often difficult to heal, impacting on the quality of life of patients and can be a cost burden to healthcare providers. Acute wounds can be life threatening with scarring and infection potential issues. The need to improve wound care brings together the region's top nurses, from hospitals across the Middle East, for the annual 'Wound Care Academy'.
According to Madeleine Flanagan, WCA director and a Principal Lecturer at the Faculty of Health & Human Sciences at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, the incidence of chronic wounds rises quickly in patients over the age of 50, so now is the right time for the region to develop strategies and skills to manage this type of wound, before the population begins to age, and as life expectancy continues to increase.
"The UK is a leader in chronic wound management care and the WCA is one way of effectively sharing this experience," added Ms Flanagan. "The WCA in the Middle East brings together very experienced groups of nurses who are willing and able to share best practice within local culture context. For example, the high incidence of diabetes in the region raises specific wound care challenges - the occurrence of diabetic foot ulcers, which can result in infection and amputation, are difficult to treat and poor patient compliance adds to the problem. The prevention and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers results in increased quality of life for patients - who tend to be relatively young - and ultimately, saved limbs."
The principles and practices of wound care are well established and the WCA aims to help specialist nurses go back to their hospitals feeling focused, empowered, and confident in their abilities and knowledge, looking to lead their colleagues in the important area of chronic wound care. Participating nurses are selected through an application process and numbers are restricted to allow each nurse to benefit from the intensive combination of theoretical and practical course work. Successful students receive a Certificate of Wound Management from the University of Hertfordshire.
"There is a worldwide shortage of nurses and more education and training for the profession is essential for the improvement of wound care management in the region," commented Ms Hayfa Salman, Product Manager, Advanced Wound Management. "Education and training to develop critical appraisal skills, overcome information overload and help keep nurses up to date with research will contribute to healing and effective wound care management by the nursing profession. The Wound Care Academy aims to deliver this training and is part of Smith & Nephew's commitment to supporting continuous medical education in the Middle East."
Commenting on the choice of location, Ms Salman added: "Qatar was a natural selection to host this year's WCA, because of the great nursing community there with potential for further development, and we wanted to add our support for Qatar as it continues to make a real impact around the world with its sporting and other successes."
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About the Wound Care Academy
The Smith & Nephew Wound Care Academy has had over 135 nurses from both the private and provisional hospital markets since its launch in 1999. Many graduates have started wound care clinics within their hospitals based on the knowledge and confidence they've received from attending the academic course.
The Wound Care Academy is led by Madeleine Flanagan, a registered nurse and a Principal Lecturer at the Faculty of Health & Human Sciences at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, where she developed one of the first undergraduate wound management programmes for nurses in the UK. She was editorial advisor for the Journal of Wound Care from 1991-2001 and was Chair of the European Wound Management Association Curriculum Development Group from 2000-2005. Madeleine is supported by Sara Rowan, International Clinical Specialist for Smith & Nephew.
About Smith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew provides a full portfolio of products to its customers and supports its range of products with comprehensive learning and education programmes for medical staff and patients. Each year, Smith & Nephew trains more than 150,000 healthcare professionals with a full range of education programmes. Smith & Nephew has the biggest profile of wound care products in the industry and the growth and sustainability of the wound care business is dependent on the advanced products that are being introduced (Allevyn, Acticoat Range).
Issued on behalf of Smith & Nephew by WPR.
Media contact:
Jonathan Walsh
WPR Dubai
Tel: +971 50 4588610
E: jon@wprme.com
© Press Release 2011
