Guest Editorial: Getting to Know the NPUAP

he National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) is a national organization dedicated to improving patient outcomes in the field of pressure ulcers through education, research, and public policy. The Panel consists of a 15-member multidisciplinary Board of Directors and an advisory council comprising the Alumni Advisory Council, Corporate Advisory Council, Collaborating Organization Council, and Provider Organization Council. Three main committees carry out the mission of the NPUAP: the Education Committee, the Research Committee, and the Public Policy Committee. Each committee is chaired by members of the Board of Directors and involves representatives from each of the advisory councils. Committee projects further the knowledge base about the care, management, prevention, and treatment of pressure ulcers.   The NPUAP is involved in both national and international activities and has recently been invited to participate in the World Union of Wound Healing Societies Congress in Florence, Italy, taking place September 25 through 29, 2016. In addition, the NPUAP has partnered with the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) and the Pan Pacific Alliance for the publication of the 2014 Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment Guidelines.

Education. The NPUAP Education Committee continuously develops numerous informational offerings. Various NPUAP Board members present webinars to the public every 3 to 4 months and provide clinical or research topics related to pressure ulcers. Recent webinars have provided the latest information regarding support surfaces, unavoidable pressure ulcers, and medical device-related pressure ulcers. In addition, posters featuring photographs of medical device-related pressure ulcers in critical care, pediatric care, and long -term care may be downloaded from the NPUAP website free of charge. The Education Committee is also responsible for the planning and development of the NPUAP Biennial Conferences. The most recent was held in Houston, TX, February 22–23, 2013. On February 27, 2014, the NPUAP will hold a consensus conference, “The Unavoidable Outcome: A Pressure Injury,” in Baltimore, MD. This conference has two goals: to bring subject matter experts from around the country and the world to discuss the issues surrounding the topic of unavoidability in pressure ulcer development and to come to consensus on some of these issues.

Research. The Research Committee is committed to gathering and organizing research in the field of pressure ulcers. This committee has developed a database of the literature utilized for the 2008 Pressure Ulcer Guidelines, which is continually updated. Through this database, researchers can perform literature searches to quickly and effectively gather the information they need. The Research Committee, through the Support Surface Standards Initiative (S3I), also has been working on standardizing terms for support surfaces and standardized tests related to performance characteristics of support surfaces. This project has helped develop a common language regarding support surfaces. Currently, three tests developed by the S3I are being reviewed for acceptance as international standards.

The Research Committee recently developed the EPUAP/NPUAP 2008 quick reference guidelines as an app on Google Play and iTunes, available for download to any iPhone, iPad, or Android phone. In addition, one goal of the 2014 publication of the updated version of the Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment Guidelines is to make these guidelines available in electronic form.

Public Policy. The Public Policy Committee also has been working on numerous projects. Small working groups are developing white papers on topics such as recurring pressure ulcers, deep tissue injury, and pressure ulcers versus diabetic foot ulcers. This committee also has been actively involved with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). NPUAP Directors Lynn Moore, RD, LD, and Aamir Siddiqui, MD (past-Chair of the Public Policy Committee) were selected to participate as members of a technical expert panel on a committee to develop a cross-setting measure for pressure ulcers, and alumni Director Laurie McNichol, MSN, RN, GNP, CWOCN, was chosen as an alternate. The NPUAP also has submitted nominations to the National Quality Forum in the following areas: Measure Applications Partnership (MAP) Hospital Workgroup, MAP Post Acute Care/Long-term Care (PAC/LTC) Workgroup, and MAP Dual Eligible Beneficiary Workgroup. Dr. Siddiqui presented at the CMS Grand Rounds in August 2013 regarding current NPUAP projects and the ways in which the NPUAP can best dialogue and engage with the CMS as subject matter experts to assist them in improving the care and management of people with pressure ulcers.

The NPUAP continuously strives to promote the field of pressure ulcer education and to guide public policy and research. The efforts of the Board and the Panel will be ongoing to impact the care of patients across the continuum and hopefully lessen the burden of care and suffering related to pressure ulcers.

For more information about the NPUAP, please visit www.npuap.org.

Dr. Garcia is Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Geriatrics Section; and Program Director, Geriatric Medicine and Clinical Wound Care, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; Director, Wound Clinic and Consult Service, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX; and President, National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.