Research opportunities arising from the implementation of the
AWMA guidelines in this environment are numerous. Continued
uptake of the guidelines and the resulting impact on client outcomes,
such as incidence of pressure ulcer development, would be
valuable areas of future inquiry. This pilot and the findings are but
the beginning of a larger program of research which could be
undertaken, and which noted earlier has been explored in other
settings in Australia. In addition to an organizational wide prevalence
study, closer investigation of the low-pressure risk group, the
group likely most represented in this organization’s larger client
population, is warranted. The findings from more intensive work
with the subgroup of low risk clients may help inform the level of
monitoring and intervention required to ensure pressure injury is
avoided. Whilst the Braden Scale has been extensively validated,
the PURA Tool (which includes the addition of the Carer Index)
has not been formally evaluated and this is a consideration for
future research. As organizations across Australia are preparing to
implement the revised AWMA guidelines in 2012, it is timely to
consider larger multisite community-based research initiatives that
consider guideline implementation and outcomes for large cohorts
such as independent people who live at home in the community.
Given the strong international interest in prevention