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PEOPLE@HES-SO – Directory and Skills inventory
PEOPLE@HES-SO – Directory and Skills inventory

PEOPLE@HES-SO
Directory and Skills inventory

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Probst Sebastian

Probst Sebastian

Professeur HES ordinaire

Main skills

Qualitative Research

Mixed-methods research

Quantitative Methods

Qualitätsentwicklung

  • Contact

  • Teaching

  • Research

  • Publications

  • Conferences

Main contract

Professeur HES ordinaire

Haute école de santé - Genève
Avenue de Champel 47, 1206 Genève, CH
HEDS-GE
Faculty
Santé
Main Degree Programme
Soins infirmiers
Medical Faculty - Université de Genève
  • Prévention et prise en charge des plaies chroniques
BSc HES-SO en Soins infirmiers - Haute école de santé - Genève
  • Méthodes de recherche
MSc HES-SO/UNIL en Sciences de la santé - HES-SO Master
  • Mixed Method Research

Completed

AI-powered mobile application for assisted wound care monitoring and assessment, and the training of healthcare professionals and carers
AGP

Role: Main Applicant

Financement: InnoSuisse; IMITO AG

Description du projet : Accurate wound assessment and monitoring are complex tasks which require specialist knowledge of wound healing physiology and the dressing products available. Our goal is to offer an AI-based clinical decision support for wounds and a training platform for healthcare professionals and carers.

Research team within HES-SO: Probst Sebastian , Saini Camille , Pichon Swann , Stefanelli Alessio

Partenaires académiques: Santé

Partenaires professionnels: Université de Genève

Durée du projet: 01.02.2022 - 01.08.2024

Montant global du projet: 1'213'317 CHF

Statut: Completed

The impact of a pluridisciplinary education program on venous leg ulcer size reduction: a randomized controlled trial.
AGP

Role: Main Applicant

Financement: HES-SO Rectorat; FNRS; Santé; HUG; FNRS _ Overhead; FNRS - Complément

Description du projet : Background and rationale: Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are slow healing wounds with a recurrence rate of 70% and a 60% risk of becoming chronic. Signs and symptoms such as pain or exudate are not only a burden on those affected but also on the health care system and society in general. The estimated VLU prevalence in the general population is 3%. Treatment cost for VLU is estimated to be 3% of overall health expenditure. Current therapeutic approaches are multifaceted and focus on reducing wound size and improving wound healing as well as preventing ulcer recurrence. Such approaches include compression therapy, leg elevation, specific ankle-exercises and a protein rich diet. They require a pluridisciplinary team of health care professionals from the domains of nursing, medicine, physiotherapy and nutrition. Approximately 70% of VLU patients have a knowledge deficit in regards to therapeutic measures and have difficulties with adherence to treatment protocols. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the treatment team provides effective patient education and support during the learning phase. However, there are no published studies describing and evaluating the impact of pluridisciplinary educational interventions on adherence to the treatment plan and wound size reduction in VLU patients. Overall objectives: The objectives of the projected study are to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-led intervention for high-risk patients with VLU in terms of patient knowledge/therapy adherence and to measure the impact of this intervention on wound size reduction and its evolution over time. Specific aims: The effectiveness of the intervention will be defined in terms of changes in behavior (altered adherence to compression therapy, elevation therapy, physical activity therapy, ankle exercise therapy, and protein supplement therapy), and in terms of VLU basic awareness acquisition and wound status evaluation. In addition, occurrence of recurrence after healing and incidence of complications (re-hospitalizations) will be measured (frequency and cost). Methodology of the planned study: An international multicenter randomized controlled trial with 248 participants in three Swiss French (n= 124) and two Australian (n=124) wound clinics is proposed. The study participants will be consecutive patients of the participating clinics who fulfill the inclusion criteria. Wound care will be performed according to the hospital's standard clinical practice guidelines. Allocation to the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG) will be concealed. The intervention will consist of VLU patient education care bundle giving patients an opportunity to learn about the use of compression bandages, wearing and putting on compression stockings, and will include the importance of physical activity, ankle exercises, leg elevation and a high-protein diet to healing outcomes. An educational brochure summarizing these aspects will be given to the patients of the IG. This group will be supervised by a study nurse, who will not be identical with the nurse in charge of the control group. Due to the intervention being an educational program, the study cannot be blinded either for the participants or the staff performing the intervention. The sample size assumptions are based on a two-sided alpha level of 0.05, power of 0.8, and a medium effect size. Univariate and bivariate analysis will be conducted according to the data level and distribution. Expected results and impact: The findings of this study will generate new knowledge and the results will contribute to VLU clinical practice guidelines to enhance patient adherence to therapy. Our results will not only help improving patients' quality of life, but also contribute to reducing health expenditure. Additionally, it is in alignment with the National Strategy on the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases 2017 ' 2024 establishing prevention work for people with enhanced risks and chronic conditions reinforcing

Research team within HES-SO: Bobbink Paul , Moullet Clémence , Gafner Simone , Probst Sebastian , Saini Camille , Stern Florian

Partenaires professionnels: Cité Générations; CHUV - Chirurgie et anesthésiologie

Durée du projet: 01.02.2020 - 31.01.2024

Montant global du projet: 978'011 CHF

Statut: Completed

Debridement study : Comparaison of two types of debridement
AGP

Role: Main Applicant

Financement: Medaxis

Description du projet : Débridement des plaies chirurgicales Après une opération, la plupart des plaies chirurgicales cicatrisent naturellement sans aucune complication. Toutefois, des complications telles que les infections et la déhiscence de la plaie (ouverture) peuvent apparaître et entraîner une cicatrisation retardée ou une perforation de la plaie. Les plaies chirurgicales infectées peuvent contenir un tissu mort (dévitalisé). Le retrait de ce tissu mort (débridement) des plaies chirurgicales est censé permettre la cicatrisation de la plaie. Les cliniciens disposent de nombreuses méthodes pour débrider les plaies chirurgicales. Il est impératif de réaliser d'autres recherches dans lesquelles la méthode est la plus efficace pour retirer le tissu mort des plaies chirurgicales qui se sont infectées.

Research team within HES-SO: Probst Sebastian , Saini Camille

Partenaires académiques: Santé

Durée du projet: 01.09.2019 - 31.12.2022

Montant global du projet: 20'000 CHF

Statut: Completed

The difference in wound size reduction comparing two frequently used wound dressings in everyday care ' a randomized controlled trail
AGP

Role: Main Applicant

Financement: Santé; curea medical GmbH; Santé

Description du projet : Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are slow healing wounds. They have a high recurrence rate and are associated with pain, infection, smell and exudate. 60% of VLU become chronic. The signs and symptoms of VLU are not only a burden on those who are affected by it but also on the health care system and society in general. With a prevalence of 1% in the general population, the prevalence rises to 3% in the over 80-age group. The cost of treatment and care for VLU is estimated to be 2 ' 3% of overall health expenditure. Current therapeutic approaches are multifaceted and focus on improving wound healing and preventing recurrences. Those approaches include compression therapy, leg elevation, specific exercises for the foot/ ankle region, a protein rich diet/ nutrition plan and the use of advanced wound care dressings. Advanced wound dressings, especially super absorbent dressings are an important part of the wound care. Heavy wound exudate, if unabsorbed, may damage surrounding healthy skin and thus delay wound healing and contribute to maceration and excoriation regimen as VLU may deliver excessive amounts of exudate. Heavy wound exudate, if unabsorbed, may damage surrounding healthy skin and thus delay wound healing and contribute to maceration and excoriation. Therefore, it is important to use effective advanced wound dressings that are capable of managing wound exudate and with that promote wound healing. Currently the standard approches to managing exudate are the use of polyurethane foam dressings or absorbent dressings like of a cellulose and distinct layers of sodium-polyacrylate treatment. However, there is no evidence demonstrating whether there is adifference in wound size as an indicator of wound healing when comparing the application of a cellulose and distinct layers of sodium-polyacrylate treatment to a standard polyurethane foam with sodium-polyacrylate treatment in a randomised controlled trail.

Research team within HES-SO: Colin Sophie , Probst Sebastian

Durée du projet: 01.03.2017 - 31.08.2020

Montant global du projet: 103'790 CHF

Statut: Completed

Occurrence of recurrent leg ulcers ' the relationship between recurrence and self-efficacy, social support and quality of life Das Auftreten von rezidivierendem Ulcu Cruris - die Beziehung zwischen S
AGP

Role: Main Applicant

Financement: BSN GmbH; ZHAW

Description du projet : Background: Die Gesundheitsversorgung des Patienten mit Ulcus Cruris stellt hohe Anforderungen an die Patienten, Angehörige und das Fachwissen des Gesundheitspersonals. Das Ulcus Cruris ist mit 60% aller Wunden die weltweit häufigste schlechtheilende Wunde. Die Ulcus Cruris wunden benötigen Monate bis Jahre bis sie abgeheilt sind. Zudem haben sie eine Tendenz zu rezidivieren. Nebst der Therapietreue zu den präventiven Massnahmen wird auch die Therapietreue zur Wundversorgung als massgeblicher Faktor zur langandauernden Abheilung von Ulcus Cruris und zur Vermeidung von Komplikationen angesehen. Zurzeit liegen keine Untersuchungen vor, die die Rezidivrate selbst, die Beziehung zwischen Rezidivrate und Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung, gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität beziehungsweise sozialer Unterstützung quantifizieren. Zudem ist auch nicht bekannt, welche Sichtweise betroffene Patienten zur Entstehung eines Rezidivs haben. Objectives: Deshalb wird mit dieser Studie primär die Beziehung zwischen dem Auftreten eines ersten Ulcus Cruris - Rezidives und der Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung untersucht. Sekundär wird die Beziehung zwischen dem Auftreten eines ersten Rezidives und der sozialen Unterstützung und der gesundheitsbezogenen Lebensqualität (VLU-QoL) quantifiziert. Zusätzlich wird die Sichtweise der vulnerablen Patienten mit langandauernden, rezidivierenden Ulcus Cruris untersucht. Method: Zur Beantwortung der Forschungsfragen wird ein exploratives sequenzielles Mixed Method Design verwendet. Rekrutiert werden 144 Patienten aus Wundambulatorien von zwei Akutzentren, die den Einschluss und Ausschlusskriterien entsprechen. Es werden Daten alle drei Monate über 1 Jahr zu Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung, sozialen Unterstützung sowie gesundheitsbezogen Lebensqualität erhoben. Im Falle eines Rezidivs wird mit den ersten 30 Patienten ein ungefähr 60 ' minütiges semistrukturiertes Interview Diese Studie wird im Kanton Zürich durchgeführt.

Research team within HES-SO: Probst Sebastian , Saini Camille

Partenaires académiques: Santé; Probst Sebastian Emanuel, Santé

Partenaires professionnels: Spital Bülach; Spital Zollikerberg; Kantonsspital Winterthur

Durée du projet: 01.04.2015 - 30.11.2017

Montant global du projet: 111'433 CHF

Statut: Completed

Development of an interdisciplinary education intervention to promote therapy adherence in leg ulcer patients
AGP

Role: Main Applicant

Financement: EBNET-STIFTUNG

Description du projet : Summary Background Venous leg ulcers (VLU) are slow healing wounds. They have a high recurrence rate and are associated with pain, infection, smell and exudate. 60% of VLU become chronic. The signs and symptoms of VLU are not only a burden on those who are affected, but also on the health care system and society in general. With a prevalence of 1% in the general population, the prevalence rises to 3% in the over 80 age group. The cost of treatment and care for VLU is estimated to be 2 ' 3% of overall health expenditure. Current therapeutic approaches are multifaceted and focus on improving wound healing and preventing recurrences. As those approaches include compression therapy, leg elevation, specific exercises for the foot/ ankle region and a protein rich diet/ nutrition plan, they require a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals comprising nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nutrition specialists. Most VLU patients have a knowledge deficit in regards to the therapeutic measures and hence have difficulties with adherence to treatment protocols/ management plans. It is of utmost importance, and best practice, that the treatment team provides effective patient education and support during the learning phase. However, there is little evidence and no published studies that describe and evaluate effective multidisciplinary educational interventions that improve compliance/ adherence to the treatment plan in patients with VLU for therapies with established evidence based positive clinical impact.. We therefore propose to develop an evidence-based interdisciplinary educational intervention and evaluate its feasibility first in a pilot study and subsequently in a randomised controlled trail. Method Firstly development of an evidence based education intervention in collaboration with an expert panel and secondly a randomised controlled pilot study with 20 participants in one wound care outpatient clinic is proposed. Data analysis Univariate and bivariate analysis will be conducted according to the data level and distribution. Data will be analysed using SPSS version 23. Expected benefit The proposed study will firstly develop an evidenced based educational intervention and secondly examine the feasibility of implementing this education intervention in a realistic care context in patients with VLU. The results will inform the final design of a following RCT which will examine the effectiveness of the educational intervention. An intervention that enhances patient adherence to therapy and hence reduces the negative outcomes of VLU would be beneficial to individual patients as well as society as a whole.

Research team within HES-SO: Probst Sebastian , Laure Jocelyne , de Preux-Allet Lara

Partenaires académiques: Santé; Probst Sebastian, Santé

Durée du projet: 01.12.2016 - 30.11.2017

Montant global du projet: 70'000 CHF

Statut: Completed

Révision Standard "Maligne Wunden"
AGP

Role: Main Applicant

Financement: Soins oncologie Suisse

Description du projet : Mise à jour des standards "Maligne Wunden"

Research team within HES-SO: Probst Sebastian

Partenaires académiques: Santé; Probst Sebastian, Santé

Durée du projet: 01.04.2017 - 01.08.2017

Montant global du projet: 3'300 CHF

Statut: Completed

2025

Unveiling the hidden pain and daily struggles of individuals with a Venous Leg Ulcer :
Scientific paper ArODES
a thematic analysis

Sebastian Probst, Elisabeth Schobinger, Camille Saini, Philip Larkin, Paul Bobbink

Journal of tissue viability,  2025, 34, 3, 100906

Link to the publication

Summary:

Aim : This study aimed to explore the experiences of pain among individuals living with venous leg ulcers (VLUs), focusing on how pain was described, its impact on daily living, and the coping strategies employed by them. Materials and Methods : A secondary qualitative analysis was conducted using data from a previous study on VLU self-management following nurse-led patient education. The original study employed a constructivist grounded theory approach, while this secondary analysis utilized Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis methodology. Semi-structured interviews from 22 participants were analyzed to identify emergent themes related to pain. MAXQDA® software was used to ensure traceability of coding, and rigor was ensured through triangulation and reflexive memos. Results : Three themes emerged: (1) Description of Wound-Related Pain where participants described pain as persistent, multifaceted, and often excruciating, using terms such as "burning" and "stinging." Pain intensity varied across individuals, with some comparing it to childbirth. (2) Impact on Daily Living where pain considerably affected emotional well-being, mobility, social interactions, and sleep. Many participants experienced emotional exhaustion, frustration, and social isolation due to their condition. (3) Pain Management Strategies where participants used both pharmacological (e.g., paracetamol, tramadol) and non-pharmacological methods (e.g., leg elevation, self-hypnosis) for pain relief. The role of healthcare providers was essential, though some participants felt their pain was inadequately addressed. Conclusion : VLU-associated pain is a prevalent and debilitating aspect of individuals' lives, impacting both physical and psychological health. Comprehensive pain management strategies that integrate both pharmacological and psychosocial approaches should be enhanced to improve patient outcomes.

Mucosal membrane pressure injuries are a subset of pressure injuries in the intensive care unit :
Scientific paper ArODES
introducing the PI-in-ICU concept : letter on Chen et al.

Farshid Rahimi-Bashar, Sebastian Probst, Andrea Pokornà, Vinciya Pandian, Amir Vahedian-Azimi

Intensive and critical care nursing,  2025, 87, 103863

Link to the publication

Oxygen saturation is a better index than arterial partial pressure of oxygen to predict pressure injuries in the intensive care unit :
Scientific paper ArODES
letter on Han et al.

Farshid Rahimi-Bashar, Sebastian Probst, Vinciya Pandian, Andrea Pokornà, Amir Vahedian-Azimi

Intensive and critical care nursing,  2025, 87, 103882

Link to the publication

Palliative wound care :
Scientific paper ArODES
recommendations for the management of wound-related symptoms

Georgina Gethin, Jan Kottner, Ana Lamza, Sylvie Meaume, Christina Megal, Elena Conde Montero, Fiona Rawlinson, Hayley Ryan, Sebastian Probst

Journal of wound management,  2025, 26, 1, sup. 1, S1-S40

Link to the publication

Healing beyond the surface :
Scientific paper ArODES
empathy’s role in chronic wound care a qualitative study

Sebastian Probst, Shan Bergin, Peta Tehan

Journal of tissue viability,  2025, to be published, 100910

Link to the publication

Summary:

Aim : This study aimed to investigate health professionals’ perceptions of the impact of empathy on healing outcomes, patient satisfaction and delivery of wound care. Materials and Methods : A descriptive qualitative approach was used, employing semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 10 healthcare professionals specializing in wound care in Australia. Participants were purposively sampled, and interviews lasted between 22 and 47 minutes. Data collection concluded upon achieving saturation. Interviews were transcribed verbatim using CORV, a secured transcription tool, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic framework. Rigor was ensured by employing COREQ guidelines, triangulating data analysis, and including direct quotes for confirmability. Results : Three key themes emerged: (1) Empathy as a Foundation for Trust, Engagement, and Collaboration where participants emphasized that empathy promotes trust, improves patient adherence, and aligns treatment goals. (2) The Dual Role of Empathy in Addressing Emotional and Physical Barriers to Healing where empathetic care alleviated psychological distress, built resilience, and improved adherence to care regimens. (3) Barriers and Facilitators to Empathy in Wound Care where time constraints, emotional fatigue, and cultural differences were identified as barriers, while mentorship, training, and supportive environments facilitated empathetic care. Conclusion : Health professionals considered empathy to be a critical factor in enhancing patient satisfaction and supporting healing outcomes in wound care. By providing trust, addressing emotional barriers, and aligning care with patient needs, empathy plays a meaningful role in the care process. Additionally, addressing systemic barriers and thoughtfully integrating empathy training into clinical practice can contribute to improved outcomes in chronic wound management.

The power of empathy :
Scientific paper ArODES
enhancing healing outcomes in chronic wound care

Sebastian Probst, Hayley Ryan, Peta Tehan

Journal of tissue viability,  2025, to be published, 100911

Link to the publication

Summary:

Aim : This study explores the impact of healthcare providers’ empathy on patients' healing outcomes and satisfaction in chronic wound care. Materials and Methods : A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Ten adults with chronic wounds were recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in January 2025, lasting an average of 37.1 minutes. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Rigor was ensured through systematic coding, researcher triangulation, and adherence to COREQ guidelines. Results : The analysis identified three central themes: (1) The need for person-centered and consistent care, emphasizing the importance of continuity in healthcare providers to reduce emotional exhaustion and improve adherence; (2) The emotional impact of empathy in wound care, demonstrating that empathetic communication raises trust, decreases pain perception, and enhances psychological resilience; and (3) The role of communication, trust, and cultural awareness, highlighting that clear explanations and cultural competence improve patient satisfaction and engagement. Participants who felt listened to and involved in decision-making reported better motivation and adherence to treatment. Conclusion : Empathy is an important component of effective wound care, influencing healing outcomes, psychological well-being, and treatment adherence. Integrating empathy into clinical practice through continuity of care, shared decision-making, and cultural competence can improve patient satisfaction and overall wound management. Healthcare systems should prioritize training and policies that support empathy-driven, person-centered care.

Systematics, diagnosis and treatment of wound infections in chronic wounds :
Scientific paper ArODES
a position paper from WundDACH

Joachim Dissemond, Julian-Dario Rembe, Bernd Assenheimer, Marjam Barysch-Bonderer, Veronika Gerber, Jan Kottner, Peter Kurz, Martin Motzkus, Eva-Maria Panfil, Sebastian Probst, Robert Strohal, Jürg Traber, Andreas Schwarzkopf

Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft,  2025, to be published

Link to the publication

Summary:

Wound infections are still an interdisciplinary and interprofessional challenge, because of numerous complications, particularly in people with chronic wounds. There are many different concepts and approaches in this field today. Therefore, WundDACH, the umbrella organization of the German-speaking wound healing societies, wrote a position paper on this important topic. An interdisciplinary and interprofessional group of experts from German-speaking countries developed definitions and procedures for nomenclature, diagnosis and treatment of wound infections in people with chronic wounds in a modified Delphi process. The importance of correctly diagnosing wound infections is emphasized so that adequate treatment can be carried out as early and specifically as possible. For a differentiated assessment, a simplified continuum of wound infection with contamination, colonization, local and systemic infection and the corresponding therapeutic consequences was described. Most bacteria in wounds can be removed by repeated wound-irrigation and debridement. Local wound infections are diagnosed based on clinical signs of infection and TILI score. Treatment is then usually exclusively local, for example with modern antiseptics such as polyhexanide. Systemic antibiotics should mostly be considered when signs of systemic infections appear. The indication for antimicrobial wound therapy should be critically reviewed after 10–14 days at the latest.

Systematic search and evaluation of mobile apps for wound care available in French-language in Canada
Scientific paper ArODES

Julie Gagnon, Julie Chartrand, Sebastian Probst, Eric Maillet, Emily Reynolds, Valerie Chaplain, Heidi St-Jean, Raphaelle East, Michelle Lalonde

Canadian journal of nursing research,  2025, to be published

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background: Wounds are a significant national health concern, impacting individuals, healthcare systems, and the environment. Despite efforts by organizations to promote evidence-based practices, gaps persist between theory and nurse practice in wound care. Mobile apps show promises in enhancing wound care delivery, but their rapid evolution, including adaptations into different languages such as French, raises concerns about reliability and regulation. Evaluating these apps is crucial for ensuring patient safety and effective wound management. Purpose: To review and assess mobile wound care apps available in French for healthcare providers in Canada. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across the literature and the two main Canadian online app stores (App Store and Google Play). The included mobile apps underwent quality evaluation using the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS). Results: The initial search retrieved 1,550 apps, of which 260 were screened and 5 included. Included apps were from France and were available on both stores. These apps varied in features, including wound dressing directory (n = 3), best practices reminders (n = 2), photography management and digital wound tracking (n = 1), and total body surface area calculator (n = 1). Evaluation using uMARS indicated total averages range from 3.52/5 to 4.10/5. The results offer scant insight into the design and evaluation of the apps included. Conclusions : The study highlights the need for development and validation of a French wound care app tailored to Canadian healthcare contexts and best practice recommendations, emphasizing collaboration among nurses and stakeholders in technology enhancement for the benefit of Canadians’ health.

Focusing on the optimal strategy to reduce pressure injuries :
Professional paper ArODES
an example of IDEAL SKIIN CARES

Farshid Rahimi-Bashar, Vinciya Pandian, Ata Mahmoodpoor, Sebastian Probst, Amir Vahedian-Azimi

Intensive and critical care nursing,  86, 103839

Link to the publication

Wound segmentation with U-Net using a dual attention mechanism and transfer learning
Scientific paper ArODES

Rania Niri, Sofia Zahia, Alessio Stefanelli, Kaushal Sharma, Sebastian Probst, Swann Pichon, Guillaume Chanel

Journal of imaging informatics in medicine,  January 2025, to be published

Link to the publication

Summary:

Accurate wound segmentation is crucial for the precise diagnosis and treatment of various skin conditions through image analysis. In this paper, we introduce a novel dual attention U-Net model designed for precise wound segmentation. Our proposed architecture integrates two widely used deep learning models, VGG16 and U-Net, incorporating dual attention mechanisms to focus on relevant regions within the wound area. Initially trained on diabetic foot ulcer images, we fine-tuned the model to acute and chronic wound images and conducted a comprehensive comparison with other state-of-the-art models. The results highlight the superior performance of our proposed dual attention model, achieving a Dice coefficient and IoU of 94.1% and 89.3%, respectively, on the test set. This underscores the robustness of our method and its capacity to generalize effectively to new data.

Optimising healing :
Scientific paper ArODES
a retrospective analysis of multi-purpose dressing efficacy in exudating pressure injuries

Sebastian Kruschwitz, Sebastian Probst

Wound practice and research,  2025, 33, 1

Link to the publication

2024

Introduction
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst

Dans Akita, Sadanori, Del Marmol, Véronique, Meaume, Sylvie, Probst, Sebastian, Téot, Luc, Skin necrosis  (pp. 473–474). 2024,  Allemagne : Springer

Link to the publication

Regulations for conservative sharp debridement for nurses in Europe
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst

Dans Akita, Sadanori, Del Marmol, Véronique, Meaume, Sylvie, Probst, Sebastian, Téot, Luc, Skin necrosis  (pp. 495–499). 2024,  Allemagne : Springer

Link to the publication

Summary:

The levels of European nursing education differ. The regulations of who and where a conservative sharp debridement can be executed differ from country to country. In most European country, it is a physician delegated task conducted by nurses after an optimal education in a nursing wound care program. This chapter demonstrates possibilities of how nurses can debride wounds.

Introduction to physical injuries in skin necrosis
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst

Dans Akita, Sadanori, Del Marmol, Véronique, Meaume, Sylvie, Probst, Sebastian, Téot, Luc, Skin necrosis  (pp. 71-72). 2024,  Allemagne : Springer

Link to the publication

Summary:

Skin necrosis, a distressing condition characterized by the death of skin cells and tissues, is a medical concern with a range of underlying causes [1]. Physical injuries leading to skin necrosis are one of the most common triggers for this condition, posing serious challenges to patients and healthcare professionals alike. Whether the result of trauma, extremes of temperature, radiation exposure, or electric shock, skin necrosis can have devastating consequences, impacting the affected individuals’ quality of life and often requiring complex medical interventions. This chapter aims to explore the various forms of physical injuries that can lead to skin necrosis, their underlying mechanisms, and the potential treatment strategies employed to manage and alleviate the distressing effects of this condition. Understanding the complexities of skin necrosis due to physical injuries is crucial for early detection, prompt intervention, and, ultimately, improvement of patient outcomes. Through enhanced awareness and comprehensive research, health care professionals can strive to prevent and mitigate the burden of skin necrosis in those vulnerable to its development.

Prevention of pressure ulcers from the perspective of frailty, pre-frailty, and health and social inequalities :
Scientific paper ArODES
an opinion paper

Duygu Sezgin, Mirko Petrovic, Michelle Canavan, Gerard Brian Gonzales, Tim Torsy, Samantha Holloway, Jacqui Fletcher, Anika Fourie, Jemell Geraghty, Máire Ni Neachtain, Elizabeth Delaney, Åsa Muntlin, Aideen McElvaney, Keiko Oda, Deirdre Lang, Ayise Karadag, Georgina Gethin, Sebastian Probst, Dimitri Beeckman

Journal of tissue viability,  2024, 33, 4, 701-705

Link to the publication

Co-creation and evaluation of an algorithm for the development of a mobile application for wound care among new graduate nurses :
Scientific paper ArODES
a mixed methods study

Julie Gagnon, Julie Chartrand, Sebastian Probst, Eric Maillet, Emily Reynolds, Michelle Lalonde

International wound journal,  2024, 21, 10, e70064

Link to the publication

Summary:

Chronic wounds are a growing concern due to aging populations, sedentary lifestyles and increasing rates of obesity and chronic diseases. The impact of such wounds is felt worldwide, posing a considerable clinical, environmental and socioeconomic challenge and impacting the quality of life. The increasing complexity of care requires a holistic approach, along with extensive knowledge and skills. The challenge experienced by health-care professionals is particularly significant for newly graduate nurses, who face a gap between theory and practice. Digital tools, such as mobile applications, can support wound care by facilitating more precise assessments, early treatment, complication prevention and better outcomes. They also aid in clinical decision-making and improve healthcare delivery in remote areas. Several mobile applications have emerged to enhance wound care. However, there are no applications dedicated to newly graduate nurses. The aim of this study was to co-create and evaluate an algorithm for the development of a wound care mobile application supporting clinical decisions for new graduate nurses. The development of this mobile application is envisioned to improve knowledge application and facilitate evidence-based practice. This study is part of a multiphase project that adopted a pragmatic epistemological approach, using the ‘Knowledge-to-Action’ conceptual model and Duchscher's Stages of Transition Theory. Following a scoping review, an expert consensus, and stakeholder meetings, this study was pursued through a sequential exploratory mixed methods design carried out in two phases. In the initial phase, 21 participants engaged in semi-structured focus groups to explore their needs regarding clinical decision support in wound care, explore their perceptions of the future mobile application's content and identify and categorize essential components. Through descriptive analysis, five overarching themes emerged, serving as guiding principles for conceptual data model development and refinement. These findings confirmed the significance of integrating a comprehensive glossary complemented by photos, ensuring compatibility between the mobile application and existing documentation systems, and providing quick access to information to avoid burdening work routines. Subsequently, the algorithm was created from the qualitative data collected. The second phase involved presenting an online SurveyMonkey® questionnaire to 34 participants who were not part of the initial phase to quantitatively measure the usability of this algorithm among future users. This phase revealed very positive feedback regarding the usability [score of 6.33 (±0.19) on a scale of 1–7], which reinforces its quality. The technology maturation process can now continue with the development of a prototype and subsequent validation in a laboratory setting.

Leg ulceration in venous and arteriovenous insufficiency :
Scientific paper ArODES
assessment and management with compression therapy as part of a holistic wound-healing strategy

Harikrishna KR Nair, Giovanni Mosti, Leanne Atkin, Rebecca Aburn, Nizam Ali Hussin, Naresh Govindarajanthran, Sriram Narayanan, Georgina Ritchie, Ray Samuriwo, Kylie Sandy-Hodgetts, Hiske Smart, Geoff Sussman, Suzie Ehmann, John Lantis, Christine Moffatt, Liezl Naude, Sebastian Probst, Wendy White

Journal of wound care,  2024, 33, Sup10b, S1-S31

Link to the publication

Summary:

This international consensus document presents the outcomes of an expert panel discussion, convened in October 2023. The discussion aimed to provide best-practice recommendations on the assessment and management of venous and arteriovenous leg ulcers. To this end, the panellists explored the accurate assessment of the venous and arterial aetiologies underlying leg ulceration, as well as the optimal safe and effective management of venous or arteriovenous ulceration using compression therapy as part of a holistic care plan. This consensus document is intended to complement existing published guidance on the management of venous ulceration and use of compression therapy,1,2,3,4 primarily by filling gaps in earlier guidelines on the assessment and management of leg ulcers with a mixed aetiology caused by combined arterial and venous insufficiency (CAVI). This consensus document has been written for a multidisciplinary readership of generalist and specialist health professionals, including physicians, podiatrists, nurses and allied health professionals, such as physical and occupational therapists. It aims to be inclusive and international, with a relevance to all healthcare settings and consideration for variations in practice; access to resources; and the way services are designed, provided and reimbursed in the medical systems throughout the world. It is hoped that the recommendations in this consensus document will provide health professionals with the skills and confidence to accurately assess chronic venous and/or arterial insufficiency and deliver compression therapy in a timely, safe and effective manner.

Empathy in wound care :
Scientific paper ArODES
a scoping review protocol

Tejus Menon, Peta Tehan, Shan Bergin, Gabrielle Brand, Sebastian Probst

Wound practice and research,  2024, 32, 4

Link to the publication

Summary:

Aim : This scoping review aims to map current literature relating to the role of empathy in the provision of wound care and its potential benefits to health professionals and patients. It seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of how empathy may influence the patient/clinician dynamic, patient wellbeing, patient engagement, adherence, pain management and treatment outcomes, including wound healing. Barriers to providing empathetic care will also be considered. Method : Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, this review will map existing literature on empathy in wound care. We will search the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus & APA PsycINFO, using an agreed search strategy co-designed with a specialist university librarian. Data from included studies will be extracted thematically using a standardised form. Potential themes include the role of empathy on the patient-clinician relationship, the influence of empathy in wound care and the barriers healthcare providers face in delivering empathetic care and how these challenges affect both emotional and clinical aspects of patient care. A narrative synthesis will summarise the findings. Discussion : This review will assist healthcare professionals and policymakers better understand the role and potential impact of empathy in wound care. By highlighting the importance of empathetic, person-centred approaches, it may encourage the inclusion of these aspects in guiding the development of wound care strategies and health professionals’ education. Furthermore, this review will identify existing research gaps, promoting further studies into how empathy can be effectively integrated into clinical practice to enhance person centred care.

Making conscientious decisions :
Scientific paper ArODES
engaging in venous leg ulcer self-management following nurse-led patient education

Paul Bobbink, Géraldine Gschwind, Philip Larkin, Sebastian Probst

Qualitative health research,  2024, to be published

Link to the publication

Summary:

Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) provoke multiple symptoms and impact individuals and society as a whole. Their treatment and prevention strategies require individual’s involvement in self-management strategies. Insufficient knowledge with regard to prevention, management, and treatment has been identified as a critical factor related to VLUs and their recurrence. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) proposed as part of a management strategy for this population provides unclear benefits regarding wounds healing or prevention of recurrence. The aim of the study was to develop a theory explaining how individuals with a VLU experience an individualized nurse-led TPE program regarding self-management strategies. The constructivist approach of Charmaz to the grounded theory method was used to develop the theory. A total of 26 individuals contributed to the co-construction of the theory through face-to-face or telephone semi-structured interviews. Data analysis and data collection occurs simultaneously with a comparative process to reveal the conceptual categories, apply theoretical sampling, and define theoretical saturation. The theory of “Conscientiously Engaging in Self-Management” was co-constructed with the participants encapsulating four categories: “Being influenced by my own story,” “Being personally informed,” “Making conscientious decisions to engage in self-adapted management strategies,” and “Integrating a conscientious way of living.” This theory highlights individuals’ voices and stories toward their journey of VLU self-management taking contextual factors into consideration. This new theory offers new knowledge about implementation of self-management strategies for individuals living with a VLU and will inform clinical practice and contribute to the development of targeted interventions.

Self-supporting wound care mobile applications for nurses :
Scientific paper ArODES
a scoping review

Julie Gagnon, Sebastian Probst, Julie Chartrand, Emily Reynolds, Michelle Lalonde

Journal of advanced nursing,  2024, 80, 9, 3464-3480

Link to the publication

Summary:

Aim : This study provides an overview of the literature to identify and map the types of available evidence on self-supporting mobile applications used by nurses in wound care regarding their development, evaluation and outcomes for patients, nurses and the healthcare system. Design : Scoping review. Review Method : Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology was used. Data Sources : A search was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL (via EBSCO), Web of Science, LiSSa (Littérature Scientifique en Santé), Cochrane Wounds, Érudit and grey literature, between April and October 2022, updated in April 2023, to identify literature published in English and French. Results : Eleven studies from 14 publications met the inclusion criteria. Mostly descriptive, the included studies presented mobile applications that nurses used, among other things, to assess wounds and support clinical decision-making. The results described how nurses were iteratively involved in the process of developing and evaluating mobile applications using various methods such as pilot tests. The three outcomes most frequently reported by nurses were as follows: facilitating care, documentation on file and access to evidence-based data. Conclusion : The potential of mobile applications in wound care is within reach. Nurses are an indispensable player in the successful development of these tools.

Aktualisierte Vergütungsregelungen für silberhaltige Wundauflagen in der Schweiz :
Scientific paper ArODES
Implikationen der MiGeL-Revision 2022 für die Wundversorgung

Dieter Mayer, Sebastian Probst

Wundmanagement,  2024, 18, 4, 190-191

Link to the publication

Organisational innovation targeting the challenges of wound management
Scientific paper ArODES

Kirsi Isoherranen, Sebastian Probst, Andrea Pokornà, Alexandra Marques, Dimitri Beeckman, Alberto Piaggesi

Journal of wound management,  2024, 25, 2, 50-52

Link to the publication

Summary:

EWMA documents have addressed and provided recommendations for the organisation of wound care. However, several challenges are currently creating a need for organisational innovation. An important aspect is the integration of pathways for patient care, implementation of guidelines for managing Diabetic Foot Syndrome, and leveling disparities in DF treatment and outcomes, together with establishment of regional patient registries, where lacking. A pilot project, Diabetic Foot Valley Tuscany, has shown very promising results, which, in addition, led to three new clinical trials being initiated in collaboration with industry. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is vital to deliver better and safer solutions in a difficult and complex environment for health care. In July 2023 EWMA thus established the EWMA Innovation Alliance with the aim of establishing a European Wound Management Innovation Ecosystem. EWMA has for years worked intensely on the qualification of health care professionals within wound management. However, the widespread shortage of personnel in Europe affects the wound management area. EWMA is committed to raising awareness of this issue, to foster discussions on how to tackle it and to explore how organisational innovation can assist health care systems in better utilising resources, particularly human resources. EWMA aims to collaborate more closely with health care authorities and policy makers by joining projects targeting public health care systems and to strengthen advocacy via an EWMA State-Of-Affairs Report to be published in 2025.

Application and challenges of using a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology to address an undertheorized clinical challenge :
Scientific paper ArODES
a discussion paper

Paul Bobbink, Philip Larkin, Sebastian Probst

International journal of nursing studies advances,  2024, 6, 100199

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background : The benefits of nurse-led therapeutic patient education regarding wound healing and the prevention of recurrences for individuals living with a venous leg ulcer remain unclear. Obtaining the individuals perspective could offer an in depth understanding of why and how they engage or not, in self-management strategies following nurse-led patient education., Despite strong evidence indicating the need for further investigation into the benefits of therapeutic patient education in this population there is a lack of research into how individuals cope with chronic venous insufficiency or resulting ulceration, With this discussion paper we therefore explore the challenges associated with employing a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology to gain a deeper insight into the experiences of patients with venous leg ulcers receiving individualized nurse-led patient education programs focused on the self-management of their condition. Objective : To identify and analyse the specific methodological and practical challenges encountered when applying a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology to gain a better understanding of how patients with venous leg ulcer experience an individualised nurse-led patient education programme concerning the self-management of their condition. Design : discussion paper Results and Discussion : The constructivist approach to Grounded Theory methodology allows for the investigation of understudied phenomena such as nurse-led patient education for individuals living with venous leg ulcers. This methodology values the co-construction of a theory taking into consideration the inherent value of participants’ and researchers’ experiences. However, the specificities of constructivist epistemology challenge certain methodological aspects of Grounded Theory methods, such as how and when to use existing literature, conduct interviews to generate data and engage in the coding and theoretical sampling process for conceptualizing and proposing a theory. Conclusions : The constructivist paradigm of grounded theory methodolgy resonates with the art and science of nursing through its collaborative ‘real-world’ reflective approach, offering a unique way to explore understudied complex clinical nursing practice.

Evaluation of a semi-automated wound-halving algorithm for split-wound design studies :
Scientific paper ArODES
a step towards enhanced wound-healing assessment

Paul Julius Georg, Meret Emily Schmid, Sofia Zahia, Sebastian Probst, Simone Cazzaniga, Robert Hunger, Simon Bossart

Journal of clinical medicine,  2024, 13, 12, 3599

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background: Chronic leg ulcers present a global challenge in healthcare, necessitating precise wound measurement for effective treatment evaluation. This study is the first to validate the “split-wound design” approach for wound studies using objective measures. We further improved this relatively new approach and combined it with a semi-automated wound measurement algorithm. Method: The algorithm is capable of plotting an objective halving line that is calculated by splitting the bounding box of the wound surface along the longest side. To evaluate this algorithm, we compared the accuracy of the subjective wound halving of manual operators of different backgrounds with the algorithm-generated halving line and the ground truth, in two separate rounds. Results: The median absolute deviation (MAD) from the ground truth of the manual wound halving was 2% and 3% in the first and second round, respectively. On the other hand, the algorithm-generated halving line showed a significantly lower deviation from the ground truth (MAD = 0.3%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The data suggest that this wound-halving algorithm is suitable and reliable for conducting wound studies. This innovative combination of a semi-automated algorithm paired with a unique study design offers several advantages, including reduced patient recruitment needs, accelerated study planning, and cost savings, thereby expediting evidence generation in the field of wound care. Our findings highlight a promising path forward for improving wound research and clinical practice.

Facilitators and barriers for nurses when educating people with chronic wounds :
Scientific paper ArODES
a qualitative interview study

Ljubiša Paden, Géraldine Gschwind, Renata Vettorazzi, Sebastian Probst

Journal of tissue viability,  2024, 33, 2, 174-178

Link to the publication

Content of a wound care mobile application for newly graduated nurses :
Scientific paper ArODES
an e-Delphi study

Julie Gagnon, Julie Chartrand, Sebastian Probst, Michelle Lalonde

BMC nursing,  2024, 23, 331

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background : Wound care represents a considerable challenge, especially for newly graduated nurses. The development of a mobile application is envisioned to improve knowledge transfer and facilitate evidence-based practice. The aim of this study was to establish expert consensus on the initial content of the algorithm for a wound care mobile application for newly graduated nurses. Methods : Experts participated in online surveys conducted in three rounds. Twenty-nine expert wound care nurses participated in the first round, and 25 participated in the two subsequent rounds. The first round, which was qualitative, included a mandatory open-ended question solicitating suggestions for items to be included in the mobile application. The responses underwent content analysis. The subsequent two rounds were quantitative, with experts being asked to rate their level of agreement on a 5-point Likert scale. These rounds were carried out iteratively, allowing experts to review their responses and see anonymized results from the previous round. We calculated the weighted kappa to determine the individual stability of responses within-subjects between the quantitative rounds. A consensus threshold of 80% was predetermined. Results : In total, 80 items were divided into 6 categories based on the results of the first round. Of these, 75 (93.75%) achieved consensus during the two subsequent rounds. Notably, 5 items (6.25%) did not reach consensus. The items with the highest consensus related to the signs and symptoms of infection, pressure ulcers, and the essential elements for healing. Conversely, items such as toe pressure measurement, wounds around drains, and frostbite failed to achieve consensus. Conclusions : The results of this study will inform the development of the initial content of the algorithm for a wound care mobile application. Expert participation and their insights on infection-related matters have the potential to support evidence-based wound care practice. Ongoing debates surround items without consensus. Finally, this study establishes expert wound care nurses’ perspectives on the competencies anticipated from newly graduated nurses.

Wound care curriculum
Book chapter ArODES

Samantha Holloway, Andrea Pokornà, Sebastian Probst

Dans Kielo-Viljamaa, Emilia, Stolt, Minna, Suhonen, Riitta, Wound care education in nursing : a european perspective  (pp. 35-48). 2024,  Cham : Springer Nature

Link to the publication

Summary:

Since the implementation of the first European directive for professional qualifications in 2005 and, subsequently, the harmonisation of higher education via the Bologna Process, there have been changes in the curricula for nurses and a move towards bachelor’s (degree-level) education. However, disparities remain, with not all countries in the European Region adopting the higher-level qualification as a standard approach. Nurse education at the bachelor’s level provides the necessary knowledge and skills in a field of work. It facilitates a level of responsibility and autonomy to ensure nurses are prepared to work with different populations and their changing healthcare needs. This chapter will present the Level 6 Wound Curriculum for Nurses developed by the European Wound Management Association. This curriculum considers that individuals with wounds have very specific needs related to their clinical presentation and the challenges related to multiple comorbidities. The curriculum explores a range of comprehensive nursing interventions, including the assessment, planning, interventions and evaluation of individuals with acute and chronic wounds. The chapter will include a practical example from one higher education institution to illustrate how the curriculum was implemented into an existing bachelor’s programme of study for nurses.

The management of wound odour and exudate using a multi-purpose dressing :
Scientific paper ArODES
a case series

Sebastian Probst, Camille Saini

Journal of wound management,  2024, 25, 1, 43-47

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background and aim : The care of chronic wounds (CWs) is complex and their management is multifaceted. To manage the clinical manifestations, the performance of a multi-purpose dressing in the management of odour, exudate, pain and healing in patients with CWs attending a wound outpatient clinic was assessed. Method : A case series using descriptive statistics was conducted with 22 consecutive patients with an existing odorous CW attending a wound outpatient clinic. Participants were treated with a multi-purpose dressing. Results : All participants had a complete reduction of their wound odour between the first and the second dressing application (p<0.001). Maceration was reduced or completely eliminated in all exudative wounds (81.8%). All cases decreased in wound size during the study time (mean percentage 45.5%; SD 15.3). Pain was reduced in 55% and unchanged in 45% of wounds. Conclusion and implication for practice : Multi-purpose dressings provide a reduction of wound odour, wound area, as well as maceration area. In addition, the dressing has a more moderate impact on pain reduction.

Practical implications for wound care
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Georgina Gethin, Paul Bobbink

Dans Kielo-Viljamaa, Emilia, Stolt, Minna, Suhonen, Riitta, Wound care education in nursing : a european perspective  (pp. 135-143). 2024,  Cham : Springer Nature

Link to the publication

Summary:

The future of wound care is on the cusp of a transformative technological revolution poised to redefine wound prevention, management and treatment. Advanced technologies are set to usher in a paradigm shift, optimising wound assessment, intervention, monitoring and patient engagement, resulting in improved outcomes, cost-efficiency and a patient-centred approach. This impending technological revolution is driven by the pressing issue of healthcare staff shortages, which cast a significant shadow over the healthcare system. The shortage of qualified healthcare professionals, particularly nurses and wound care specialists, substantially challenges wound care quality, patient outcomes and the overall healthcare landscape. This chapter delves into the intricacies of this predicament and explores how evolving technologies are positioned to support wound care nurses in the coming years. To mitigate the impact of nursing shortages on wound care, healthcare institutions must employ strategies such as hiring more wound care specialists, offering training and education programmes for existing staff, optimising wound care protocols and addressing nurse burnout and retention issues. Technologies such as advanced diagnostic modalities through artificial intelligence, smart wound dressings, 3D printing, regenerative therapies and telemedicine offer crucial tools to bridge care gaps during nursing shortages.

Research focus and guidelines in wound care education
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Georgina Gethin, Paul Bobbink

Dans Kielo-Viljamaa, Emilia, Stolt, Minna, Suhonen, Riitta, Wound care education in nursing : a european perspective  (pp. 129-134). 2024,  Cham : Springer Nature

Link to the publication

Summary:

Wound care education in nursing is a dynamic and evolving field focused on enhancing patient outcomes and nursing practice. This abstract explores two pivotal components of wound care education: digitalised learning and hybrid approaches. Digitalised wound care education harnesses internet and technological advancements to deliver content, including online lectures, websites, resource documents, videos and tailored modules. While digital education offers flexibility and global access to expertise, it comes with social interactions, motivation and technical proficiency challenges. Emerging technologies such as simulation and virtual reality provide immersive, hands-on learning experiences, with the potential for serious games and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance learning and assessment. Hybrid approaches integrate digital and face-to-face teaching and have demonstrated success in nursing education. These approaches offer flexibility and combine theoretical and practical skill development to ensure evidence-based clinical practice. Various blended learning designs are under exploration, from small learning units to comprehensive week-long programmes. Choosing the right educational modality should align with desired learning outcomes and available resources, emphasising continuous evaluation and pedagogical improvements. Wound care guidelines play a crucial role in standardising practices but face challenges requiring increased attention and awareness within the wound care community.

Microjet wound therapy versus sharp debridement on wound size reduction :
Scientific paper ArODES
a pilot randomised controlled trial

Sebastian Probst, Camille Saini

Journal of wound care,  2024, 33, 5, 357-364

Link to the publication

Summary:

Objective: There are several methods of treating hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds, each differing in terms of efficiency, selectivity, speed, cost and pain. The objective is to activate a wound to initiate the healing cascade. For this pilot study we assessed the feasibility of a new microjet wound therapy technology compared to standard sharp debridement in wound outcomes. Method: A randomised, controlled, open-label pilot study was conducted in one outpatient wound clinic in Western Switzerland from March 2022 to May 2023. Results: A total of 13 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to receive either microjet wound therapy (n=5) or standard mechanical debridement with instruments (n=8). As a feasibility study, there was insufficient power to detect significant differences between the groups. However, in the intervention group, our analysis may indicate a modestly faster reduction in wound area. Microjet wound therapy appears to alleviate patient anxiety and offer cost savings due to the potential for reduced time, as well as the number of required treatments. This meant fewer overall consultations. Conclusion: This study highlights a trend that may indicate that microjet therapy holds value in promoting faster healing of hard-to-heal wounds, and it provides a feasibility basis for a sufficiently powered multicentre trial.

Systematic review and quality assessment of clinical and economic evidence for superabsorbent wound dressings in a population with chronic ulcers
Scientific paper ArODES

Vladica Velickovic, Tom Macmillan, Emma Lones, Yana Arlouskaya, Pablo Arija Prieto, Neil Webb, Amy Crompton, Isobel Munro, Viviane Fernandes Carvalho, Szijártó Attila, Dávid Bárdos, YunNan Lin, HaoYu Chiao, Sebastian Probst

International wound journal,  2024, 21, 3, e14750

Link to the publication

Summary:

Effective exudate management is key for optimal ulcer healing. Superabsorbent dressings are designed to have high fluid handling capacity, reduced risk of exudate leakage, fluid retention under compression, and to sequester harmful exudate components. This study aimed to systematically identify existing evidence for the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of superabsorbent dressings for the treatment of moderate-to-highly exudating chronic ulcers of various etiologies. The aim is focused on examining the ‘class’ effect of all superabsorbers, not any particular dressing. Clinical and cost effectiveness systematic reviews were conducted, searching Embase, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. The Cost Effectiveness Analysis Registry and Econ papers were also searched for the economic review. Outcomes of interest included ulcer closure, dressing properties, hospital- and infection-related outcomes, safety, and economic outcomes. Fourteen studies were included in the clinical systematic review. Eleven were case series, with one randomised controlled trial, one retrospective matched observational study, and one retrospective cohort study. The studies investigated eight superabsorbent dressings and were heterogeneous in their patient population and outcomes. Superabsorbent dressings may result in favourable outcomes, including reductions in frequency of dressing change and pain scores. As most studies were case series, drawing firm conclusions was difficult due to absence of a comparator arm. The economic systematic review identified seven studies, five of which were cost-utility analyses. These suggested superabsorbent dressings are a more cost-effective option for the treatment of chronic ulcers compared with standard dressings. However, the small number and low quality of studies identified in both reviews highlights the need for future research.

mHealth app usability questionnaire for stand-alone mHealth apps used by health care providers :
Scientific paper ArODES
Canadian French translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation (Part 1)

Julie Gagnon, Sebastian Probst, Julie Chartrand, Michelle Lalonde

JMIR formative research,  2024, 8, e50839

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background: An increasing number of health care professionals are using mobile apps. The mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ) was designed to evaluate the usability of mobile health apps by patients and providers. However, this questionnaire is not available in French. Objective: This study aims to translate (from English to Canadian French), cross-culturally adapt, and initiate the validation of the original version of MAUQ for stand-alone mobile health apps used by French-speaking health care providers. Methods: A cross-cultural research study using a well-established method was conducted to translate MAUQ to Canadian French by certified translators and subsequently review it with a translation committee. It was then back translated to English. The back translations were compared with the original by the members of the committee to reach consensus regarding the prefinal version. A pilot test of the prefinal version was conducted with a sample of 49 potential users and 10 experts for content validation. Results: The statements are considered clear, with interrater agreement of 99.14% among potential users and 90% among experts. Of 21 statements, 5 (24%) did not exceed the 80% interrater agreement of the experts regarding clarity. Following the revisions, interrater agreement exceeded 80%. The content validity index of the items varied from 0.90 to 1, and the overall content validity index was 0.981. Individual Fleiss multirater κ of each item was between 0.89 and 1, showing excellent agreement and increasing confidence in the questionnaire’s content validity. Conclusions: This process of translation and cultural adaptation produced a new version of MAUQ that was validated for later use among the Canadian French–speaking population. An upcoming separate study will investigate the psychometric properties of the adapted questionnaire.

2023

Nursing students’ knowledge on pressure injuries following a blended-learning unit :
Scientific paper ArODES
a quasi-experimental study

Paul Bobbink, Géraldine Gschwind, Lucie Charbonneau, Carole Guex, Laurent Chabal, Sebastian Probst

Advances in skin and wound care,  36, 12, 636-641

Link to the publication

Summary:

Objective : To assess first-year bachelor’s degree in nursing students’ knowledge about pressure injury (PI) etiology, classification, prevention, and management following blended learning and clinical practice. Methods : A quasi-experimental design was used. Nursing students’ PI knowledge was measured using the French version of the Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Tool (PUKAT) at three time points: baseline (before a blended-learning unit, consisting of 2 hours of e-learning and 3 hours of practical workshop), after the blended-learning unit, and after clinical practice. Results : A total of 21 students participated over the three time points. At baseline, the mean percentage of correct answers on the PUKAT was 45.8%. This score increased to 59.2% following the blended-learning unit and 65% after completing the clinical practice (F2,58 = 19.08; P = .00). Over the three time points, students scored highest on knowledge of risk assessment and lowest on knowledge of prevention. Conclusions : Blended-learning units combining e-learning and practical workshops are valuable tools to increase students’ knowledge about PIs. The PUKAT enables the evaluation of changes in students’ knowledge following a teaching unit on PIs. However, more research is needed to assess the long-term evolution of knowledge and the impact of this teaching on clinical practice.

Prevalence and incidence of venous leg ulcers :
Scientific paper ArODES
a systematic review and meta-analysis

Sebastian Probst, Camille Saini, Géraldine Gschwind, Alessio Stefanelli, Paul Bobbink, Marie-Therese Pugliese, Sezen Cekic, Damien Pastor, Georgina Gethin

International wound journal,  20, 9, 3906-3921

Link to the publication

Summary:

Venous leg ulcers (VLU) represent a major public health challenge. Little is known about the prevalence and incidence of VLU internationally. Published studies are usually reporting different estimates because of disparities in study designs and measurement methods. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to identify the prevalence and incidence of VLU internationally and to characterise the population as reported in these studies. Studies were identified from searches in Medline (PubMed), CINAHL Complete (EBSCOhost), Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, LiSSa (Littérature Scientifique en Santé), Google Scholar and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews up to November 2022. Studies were included if their primary outcomes were reported as a period prevalence or point prevalence or cumulative incidence or incidence VLU rate. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, 10 reporting estimates of prevalence, three reporting both prevalence and incidence estimates and one incidence. All were included in meta-analyses. The results show a pooled prevalence of 0.32% and a pooled incidence of 0.17%. Our results highlighted an extreme heterogeneity across effect sizes for both prevalence and incidence, which prevent a meaningful interpretation of pooled indexes and argue for further studies with specific prevalence-type reported and target population under study.

Patients 'acceptance' of chronic wound-associated pain :
Scientific paper ArODES
a qualitative descriptive study

Sebastian Probst, Géraldine Gschwind, Louise Murphy, Duygu Sezgin, Peter J. Carr, Caroline McIntosh, Georgina Gethin

Journal of tissue viability,  32, 4, 455-459

Link to the publication

Summary:

Chronic wound-associated pain negatively impacts the quality of life of individuals and their families. To date, little research exists that has explored collectively how individuals describe wound pain, strategies they use to manage pain, and the perceived effectiveness of such strategies. Therefore, qualitative, semi-structured interviews were carried out between June and August 2021 with 13 individuals to gain a deeper understand of the experience and impact of chronic wound-associated pain in this population. Data were analyzed following Braun and Clarke's approach for reflexive thematic analysis using MAXQdA®. Two themes and subthemes were identified. Theme 1 reflects participants' characterization of pain and how wound-associated pain affected their daily life and how they learned to accept it. Participants felt functionally impaired. In theme 2, participants described how they accepted to live with such a pain even though they received support to manage their chronic wound-associated pain, especially during the dressing-changes. Patients depended on their health care professionals and family support networks to cope with the pain. Coping with pain is exhausting contributing to poorer quality of life. Health care professionals should be aware of wound-associated pain during dressing changes. Patients recommended the need for further research on dressings and not drugs to manage pain.

Resigning oneself to a life of wound-related odour :
Scientific paper ArODES
a thematic analysis of patient experiences

Georgina Gethin, Louise Murphy, Duygu Sezgin, Peter J. Carr, Caroline McIntosh, Sebastian Probst

Journal of tissue viability,  32, 4, 460-464

Link to the publication

Summary:

Aims : To determine how patients with chronic wounds describe wound odour, identify what strategies they use to manage it and how effective these are. Materials and methods : Using a qualitative descriptive approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted between July and August 2021 with seven patients living with an odorous chronic wound at home. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework. Results : The results were organised into two main themes: 1) becoming resigned to living with wound-related odour 2) strategies used to manage wound-related odour. Participants were sad, embarrassed and felt isolated but became resigned to living with this odour and accepting of it as a consequence of having a wound. Frequent dressing changes, household cleaning along with the use of sprays were the most frequently used tactics to manage odour none of which were deemed to be very effective. Conclusion : This study highlights the problem of odour management in clinical practice and how individuals develop strategies to overcome odour. Sadly, patients were resigned to living with wound odour and were accepting of it as part of daily life. This highlights the importance for healthcare professionals to recognise, assess for and ensure a better understanding of how people experience wound odour, the impact it can have on them personally. Frequent dressing changes can help manage wound odour from the patient's perspective.

Defining palliative wound care :
Scientific paper ArODES
a scoping review by European Association for Palliative Care wound care taskforce

Duygu Sezgin, Jemell Geraghty, Tanya Graham, Karin Blomberg, Karen Charnley, Sharon Dobbs, Aideen McElvaney, Sebastian Probst, Dimitri Beeckman, Patricia Grocott, Georgina Gethin

Journal of tissue viability,  32, 4, 627-634

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background : Deciding whether to transition to wound palliation is challenging for health care professionals because there is no agreed definition or understanding of palliative wound care, including the goals, core elements and differences from general wound management. Objectives : To conduct a scoping review with qualitative synthesis to define palliative wound care in terms of its conceptual framework, goals, principles, components, and differences from general wound management, and provide a new definition of palliative wound care based on this scoping review. Eligibility criteria : Published literature that refers to the definitions, concept, goals and core elements of palliative wound care using any methodological approach, without any time limits, published in English. Sources of evidence : The searches were conducted in CINAHL Complete via Ebsco, Medline via Ovid, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Charting methods : A data extraction form was developed by the review team and used independently for data charting purposes. Braun and Clarke's six phases of thematic analysis guided the qualitative synthesis. Results : A total of 133 publications met the inclusion criteria. Three main themes were developed to define palliative wound care and understand its differences from general wound management: 1- Healing potential of wounds and patient vulnerability, 2- Understanding the impact on individuals and family to address needs, 3- Towards new goals and perspectives in approach to care. Conclusions : Palliative wound care focuses on symptom management, comfort, and dignity, but does not always target the healing of the wound, which is the goal of general wound care. The needs of the individual and their family must be addressed by clinicians through the provision of care and support that takes into account the true meaning of living and dying with a palliative wound.

Compression therapy as the cornerstone of the treatment of lower leg ulcers
Professional paper ArODES

Kirsi Isoherranen, Sebastian Probst

Journal of wound management,  24, 3, 75

Link to the publication

Les soins des plaies évoluent grâce à la Haute école de santé genevoise
Professional paper ArODES

Paul Bobbink, Laurent Chabal, Lucie Charbonneau, Carole Guex, Géraldine Gschwind, Alessio Stefanelli, Camille Saini, Sebastian Probst

Soins infirmiers = Krankenpflege = Cure infermieristiche,  9, 59-61

Link to the publication

Summary:

Le laboratoire spécialisé en cicatrisation et soins des plaies développe, mène et implémente des projets de recherche appliquée dont bénéficie en direct l'enseignement aux niveaux Bachelor et post-grade. Découvrez les activités de ce centre de compétences genevois.

A protocol for a scoping review to identify methods used in clinical practice to assess wound odour
Scientific paper ArODES

Georgina Gethin, Kimberly LeBlanc, John D. Ivory, Caroline McIntosh, Damien Pastor, Enda Naughten, Chloe Hobbs, Barry McGrath, Stephen Cunningham, Lokesh Joshi, Suzanne Moloney, Sebastian Probst

HRB Open Research,  6, article 54

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Summary:

Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to map, from wound assessment tools and other literature, the current methods used to assess wound odour in order to answer the following question: Which methods of assessment, validated or otherwise, are currently used in wound assessment tools to assess wound odour? Introduction: Wound assessment includes not only details of the condition of the wound bed but also evaluation of symptoms associated with the wound including that of odour. Odour is cited by clinicians, patients and carers as one of the most distressing wound symptoms. However, there is no consensus on a preferred method to assess odour thus negatively impacting the internal and external validity of many clinical trials and minimising the ability to perform meta-analysis. Eligibility criteria: Any wound assessment tool or framework that includes assessment of wound odour in any wound aetiology and in any care setting. Any systematic or scoping review that includes assessment of wound odour in any wound aetiology and in any care setting. No limits on date of publication or language will be applied. Methods: We will employ the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines for this scoping review and base its structure on the framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. Results: A narrative format will summarise extracted data and provide an overview of tools used to assess wound odour. A PRISMA diagram will outline the results of the search strategy. The identified tools will be summarised in table format and stratified according to methods used. Conclusion: The result of this scoping review will be a list of methods used to assess odour in wounds and will be used to inform a subsequent Delphi study to gain consensus on the preferred method to assess wound odour.

Systematic review of topical interventions for the management of pain in chronic wounds
Scientific paper ArODES

Cathal Ffrench, David Finn, Akke Velligna, John D. Ivory, Catherine Healy, Karen Butler, Duygu Sezgin, Peter J. Carr, Sebastian Probst, Aonghus McLoughlin, Sundus Arshad, Caroline McIntosh, Georgina Gethin

Pain reports,  8, 5, e1073

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Summary:

Chronic wounds adversely affect quality of life. Pain is associated with chronic wounds, and its impact can vary according to wound aetiology, condition, and patient factors. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of topical interventions in the management chronic wound–related pain guided by PRISMA recommendations of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) where pain reduction is the primary outcome. Inclusion criteria were adults (older than 18 years) with chronic venous, arterial, diabetic, or pressure ulcers where pain has been managed through topical administration of pharmacological/nonpharmacological agents. Searches were conducted in Ovid Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, CENTRAL, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies were screened for eligibility; risk of bias and data were extracted by 2 independent assessors. Searches retrieved 10,327 titles and abstracts (7760 after deduplication). Nine full texts (1323 participants) examining ibuprofen (n54), morphine (n52), BWD1PHMB [polihexanide-containing biocellulose wound dressing] (n51), and EMLA (n52) were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Meta-analysis was not possible, but initial exploration suggests improved outcomes (reduced pain) for ibuprofen when compared with controls. Two studies involving morphine showed conflicting findings. Included studies often had small samples, and considering confounding factors (eg, comorbidities), the results should be interpreted with caution. Review of included studies suggests that topical interventions may provide pain relief in individuals with chronic wounds. Further adequately powered RCTs are recommended to assess the efficacy of topical interventions for the management of chronic wound–related pain.

Building the business case for shared wound care :
Professional paper ArODES
a cost-benefit case for service providers

Zena Moore, Sebastian Probst

Wounds international,  14, 3

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Summary:

Chronic wounds are a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide, with their management accounting for a significant portion of healthcare budgets. Given the rising prevalence of wounds and the growing strain on healthcare resources, there is an urgent need for more efficient treatment options in wound care.

Individualised risk prediction for improved chronic wound management
Scientific paper ArODES

Vladica Velickovic, Tim Spelman, Michael Clark, Sebastian Probst, David G. Armstrong, Ewout Steyerberg

Advances in wound care,  July 2023, vol. 12, no. 7, pp. 387-398

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Summary:

Significance : Chronic wounds are associated with significant morbidity, marked loss of quality of life and considerable economic burden. Evidence-based risk prediction to guide improved wound prevention and treatment is limited by the complexity in their aetiology, clinical underreporting and a lack of studies using large high-quality datasets. Recent Advancements : The objective of this review is to summarise key components and challenges in the development of personalised risk prediction tools for both prevention and management of chronic wounds, while highlighting several innovations in the development of better risk stratification. Critical issues : Regression-based risk prediction approaches remain important for assessment of prognosis and risk stratification in chronic wound management. Advances in statistical computing have boosted the development of several promising machine learning and other semi-automated classification tools. These methods may be better placed to handle large number of wound healing risk factors from large datasets, potentially resulting in better risk prediction when combined with conventional methods and clinical experience and expertise. Future directions : Where the number of predictors is large and heterogenous, the correlations between various risk factors complex, and very large data sets are available, then machine learning may prove a powerful adjuvant for risk-stratifying patients predisposed to chronic wounds. Conventional regression-based approaches remain important, particularly where the number of predictors is relatively small. Translating estimated risk derived from machine learning algorithms into practical prediction tools for use in clinical practice remains challenging.

Wundpflege im häuslichen Bereich
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst

Dans Budroni, Helmut, Händler-Schuster, Daniela, Gemeinde- und Familiengesundheitspflege : lehrbuch für die ambulante Pflege  (pp. 365-372). 2023,  Schweiz : Hogrefe Suisse : Hogrefe

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Nursing students' skills in applying short-stretch compression bandages using the control of compression bandaging score
Scientific paper ArODES

Paul Bobbink, Géraldine Gschwind, Sebastian Probst

British journal of nursing,  2023, vol. 32, no. 12, pp. s28-s35

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Summary:

Aim: To assess the feasibility using the Control of Compression Bandaging (CCB) score to measure skills development on short-stretch compression therapy during a second-year nursing students' workshop. Design: A quasi-experimental pilot study with one group. Method: All students followed a blended learning unit comprising an e-learning unit on leg ulcers and compression therapy including videos, followed by hands-on workshops where they could exercise how to apply short-stretch compression bandages. Clinical nurse specialists in wound care collected pre- and post-workshop measures. Data collection included feasibility, absolute pressure under compression bandages and the CCB score. Results: Six clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) collected data and 16 students participated in this pilot study. The mean application time was 8.02 minutes (min=2, max=20) pre and 9.25 minutes (min=5, max=17) post workshop. Pressure under compression bandages increased at the forefoot (P=0.01) and the calf muscle base (P=0.03) post workshop. One extreme outlier was observed. In addition, the CCB score increased from 3.57 to 4.47 (P=0.16). Using pressure measuring devices was described as essential by all the CNSs and the CCB score was easy to use. Conclusion: Using the CCB score and pressure measuring devices were feasible during an undergraduate education session. Recruitment procedure and modality of data collection were satisfactory. This score may be a valuable way to assess students' skills in short-stretch compression therapy. If used for formal assessment, a passing score should be defined.

Compression therapy
Scientific paper ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Hayley Ryan

Journal of wound management,  April 2023, vol. 24, no. 1, sup. 1, s.45-s.49

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Letter to the editor
Scientific paper ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Kirsi Isoherranen

Journal of wound management,  2023, vol. 24, no. 1, p. 3

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Local treatment of lower leg ulcers
Scientific paper ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Leanne Atkin

Journal of wound management,  April 2023, vol. 24, no. 1, sup. 1, s.50-s.53

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Thérapie par pression négative
Book chapter ArODES

Paul Bobbink, François Paquet, Sebastian Probst

Dans Chaplain, Valérie, Reeves, Isabelle, Pratiques exemplaires en soins des plaies : de novice à expert : tome 1  (36 p.). 2023,  Québec : Presses de l'Université Laval

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Systematic review of topical interventions for the management of odour in patients with chronic or malignant fungating wounds
Scientific paper ArODES

Georgina Gethin, Akke Vellinga, Caroline McIntosh, Duygu Sezgin, Sebastian Probst, Louise Murphy, Peter J. Carr, Ivory JD, S. Cunningham, A.M. Oommen, Lokesh Joshi, Cathal Ffrench

Journal of tissue viability,  February 2023, vol. 32, no.1, pp. 151-157

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Summary:

Chronic wounds adversely affect the quality of life of individuals and odour is a well-recognised associated factor. Odour can affect sleep, well-being, social interactions, diet and potentially wound healing. This systematic review aims to examine the effectiveness of topical interventions in the management of odour associated with chronic and malignant fungating wounds. A systematic review guided by PRISMA recommendations of randomised controlled trials where odour intensity/odour is the primary outcome was undertaken. Inclusion criteria were adults (18 years and over) with chronic venous, arterial, diabetic or pressure ulcers or with malignant fungating wounds where odour has been managed through topical application of pharmacological/non-pharmacological agents. Searches were conducted in CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligibility screening, risk of bias assessment and data extraction was completed by authors working independently. Searches retrieved 171 titles and abstracts (157 post de-duplication). Thirteen studies were retained for full text review of which five (n = 137 individuals) examining the following treatments remained: metronidazole (n = 4), silver (n = 1). Meta-analysis was not possible but individual studies suggest improved outcomes (i.e., reduced odour) using metronidazole. Treatment options to manage wound odour are limited and hampered by lack of clinical trials, small sample sizes, and absence of standardised outcomes and consistent measurement. Whereas metronidazole and silver may have a role in controlling wound odour, robust and well-designed interventions with rigorous procedures and standardised odour outcomes are necessary to evaluate their contribution.

Self-supporting wound care mobile applications for nurses :
Scientific paper ArODES
a scoping review protocol

Julie Gagnon, Sebastian Probst, Julie Chartrand, Michelle Lalonde

Journal of tissue viability,  February 2023, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 79-84

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Summary:

Aim : Mobile health (mHealth) is playing an increasingly important role in the computerization of wound care on an international scale with an aim to improve care. The aim of this scoping review protocol is to present a transparent process for how we plan to search and review the existing evidence related to self-supporting mobile wound care applications used by nurses. Materials and methods : The scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. An exploratory search was performed using MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, CINAHL (Ebsco), to identify concepts, keywords, MeSH terms, and headings to identify study types looking for mobile applications in wound care. The findings of this search will determine the final search strategy. Data sources will include MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, LiSSa, Cochrane Wounds (Cochrane Library) and Erudit. The titles and abstracts of the identified articles will be screened independently by two authors for relevance. Full texts will also be screened by two independent reviewers and data extraction will be performed in accordance with a pre-designed extraction form. All types of studies and literature linked to self-supporting mobile wound care application used by nurses will be included (quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and grey literature). Conclusion : The results of the scoping review will give an overview of the existing self-supporting mobile applications in wound care used by nurses. These will also help to identify the existing applications, and describe knowledge in nursing about their utilisation, development, and evaluation, as well as synthesize the available literature on their impacts.

How health literacy relates to venous leg ulcer healing :
Scientific paper ArODES
a scoping review

Ayoub Bouguettaya, Georgina Gethin, Sebastian Probst, Jane Sixsmith, Victoria Team, Carolina Weller

PLOS ONE,  2023, vol. 18, no. 1, e0279368

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Summary:

Background : The level of personal health literacy of patients with venous leg ulcers is likely to affect their ability to self-manage their condition impacting on their adherence to treatment and influences healing and recovery outcomes. Objectives : To scope existing research that examined the level of health literacy in venous leg ulcer patients, to identify how this may link to self-management behaviours (particularly physical activity and compression adherence), and venous leg ulcer healing outcomes. Methods : This scoping review was based on the PRISMA-ScR six-stage framework. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, PsycInfo and Health, Open Grey, and Google Scholar for publications examining general and specific health literacy in those with venous leg ulcers and for those examining any potential links of health literacy with self-management/healing generally, published between 2000–2020. This search was guided by a published protocol; studies that described other types of ulcers or did not examine health literacy were excluded. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria the initial search identified 660 articles. Results : We included five articles. Four studies used randomised controlled trials or experimental designs to test the effect of specific health literacy interventions on venous leg ulcer knowledge, compression therapy use, or healing outcomes. One study was a cross- sectional survey with qualitative elements, assessing health literacy in venous leg ulcer patients. Broadly, the research suggested that health literacy was suboptimal amongst those with venous leg ulcers, and health literacy interventions had limited effects on improving key venous leg ulcer specific outcomes. Conclusion : This review provides a synthesis of extant literature examining health literacy in patients with venous leg ulcers. We identified a dearth of literature investigating the value of general and specific health literacy interventions in this space. Most importantly, no recent research on general health literacy and venous leg ulcers was identified, despite strong theoretical utility to do so. The few studies identified largely indicated that targeting health literacy of patients with venous leg ulcers is a viable area of research and intervention, encouraging future researchers and clinicians to consider patient health literacy in venous leg ulcer management.

2022

Scoping review on the treatment of radiodermatitis secondary to radiotherapy treatment of head and neck, and breast cancer
Scientific paper ArODES

Maryse Beaumier, Sebastian Probst, Mathieu Chamberland, Antony Bertrand-Grenier, Anne Dagnault, Jérémy Laroche, Marie-Ève Daigle, Aude Jalbert-Drouin, Annabelle Prud’homme, Élyse Ménard, Hind Sadiqi, Dania Sakr

Journal of wound management,  2022, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 193-200

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Summary:

Purpose : Almost 95% of patients undergoing radiotherapy treatments will develop a form of radiodermatitis. Despite this prevalence, treatment recommendations lack consensus, and clinical practices differ. The purpose of this scoping review is to examine the literature for radiodermatitis treatment options occurring in persons with head and neck, as well as breast, cancer and to report the pain felt by these populations after receiving radiotherapy. Methods : A scoping review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA_Sc-R) checklist was performed. To identify the sources of evidence, the MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane, LiSSA and Google Scholar databases were searched. All available articles published in the French and English languages were included. Results : Two hundred fifty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. The included studies demonstrated heterogeneous results, owing to significant variations in the interventions, the controls and the assessment tools. The quality of the evidence was found to be low and at high risk for biases. Conclusion : This scoping review provides a broad overview of the available data and highlights the paucity of highquality evidence to guide therapeutic interventions for the optimal management of radiodermatitis. Since radiodermatitis is a common injury of radiotherapy for breast cancer and head and neck cancer, more research is needed to guide the prevention and treatment of radiodermatitis for patients suffering from this complication.

Antimicrobials and non-healing wounds :
Scientific paper ArODES
an uptdate : including a concise approach to treating potentially infected wounds

Sebastian Probst, Jan Apelqvist, Thomas Bjarnsholt, Benjamin A. Lipsky, Karen Ousey, Edgar Peters

Journal of wound management,  November 2022, vol. 23, no. 3, sup. 1

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Prevention and management of skin tears :
Scientific paper ArODES
a survey of nurses in French-speaking Switzerland

Lucie Charbonneau, Sebastian Probst, Georgina Gethin

Journal of wound management,  2022, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 78-86

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Summary:

Background : Skin tears are common in many care settings. Clinicians’ practices show a lack of knowledge on skin tear classification, prevention and treatment; documentation problems; and a lack of uniform language. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate nurses’ perceptions, opinions, knowledge and practices on the prevention and management of skin tears in Frenchspeaking Switzerland. Method : A survey was conducted among nurses and wound care specialists in Western Switzerland. Data were collected between 17 November and 14 December 2020 and analysed using descriptive statistical and thematic analyses. Result : A total of 117 nurses and wound care specialists participated in this survey; 89% described skin tears as common. Skin tear definitions (18%, n=15), classification systems (7%, n=6) and risk factors were not well known. Prevention measures were often non-existent (87%, n=82). A standard of care was infrequent (5%, n=6). Pain (76%, n=70), delayed healing (75%, n=70) and frequent dressing changes (72%, n=67) were common issues and complications. Education on dressing choices (89%, n=80); prevention measures (88%, n=79); and aged skin issues (86%, n=77), were identified as important teaching topics. Conclusion: The results contribute to our understanding of wound care specialists’ clinical judgment on preventing and managing skin tears in French-speaking Switzerland and highlight the importance of wound care education. Implication for clinical practice : To enhance nurses’ knowledge of wound care and ensure evidence-based practices, we recommend implementing standard, unified wound curricula for nurses at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels, based on the existing European curricula.

3.5 billion hours of nurse time released by 2030 :
Professional paper ArODES
potential efficiency gains from shared care and longwear advanced foam dressings

Zena Moore, Amanda Loney, Sebastian Probst, Hayley Ryan, Catherine Milne, Sylvie Meaume

Wounds international,  2022, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 10-16

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Summary:

The prevalence of chronic wounds is increasing, adding to the burden on the already overstretched nursing population. There is a clear need for new ways of working to mitigate the issues faced by nurses. The benefits of shared care and greater patient involvement are well documented and can be applied to chronic wound care for clinically appropriate patients. Long-wear advanced foam dressings can support a shared-care approach by allowing nurses and patients to practice undisturbed healing. This article introduces a mathematical model that proposes by using long-wear advanced foam dressings within a shared-care approach some 3.5 billion nursing hours globally could be saved by 2030. Releasing this time has the potential to improve patient quality of life and allow nurses to spend more time where it is most needed, improving quality of care and outcomes.

Superabsorbierende Wundauflagen sind nicht alle gleich
Scientific paper ArODES

Amit Gefen, Sebastian Probst

Wundmanagement,  2022, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 19-23

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Summary:

Superabsorbent dressings are an advanced wound dressing class indicated for managing medium to highly exuding wounds. This educational review describes important differences between commercially available superabsorbent dressing products and explains how distinct dressing designs translate to variable absorption functions and ultimately, exhibit different clinical efficacies. Specifically, the diverse design variants of superabsorbent dressings, which primarily include dressings with a superabsorbent polymer-sheet core versus dressings with superabsorbent polymer grains embedded in fluff, lead to remarkable variations in the fluid handling characteristics of the products as well as their ability to stay intact and perform safely under certain use conditions. These differences, detailed in this article, require healthcare professionals to critically assess the potential dressing effects upon the specific patient and wound in order to achieve harmless and prompt healing.

The impact of patient health and lifestyle factors on wound healing :
Scientific paper ArODES
part 1: Stress, sleep, smoking, alcohol, common medications and illicit drug use

Georgina Gethin, Evelien Touriany, Jaap J. van Netten, Luboš Sobotka, Sebastian Probst

Journal of wound management,  2022, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 2-41

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The impact of patient health and lifestyle factors on wound healing :
Scientific paper ArODES
part 2: physical activity and nutrition

Georgina Gethin, Jaap J. van Netten, Sebastian Probst, Evelien Touriany, Luboš Sobotka

Journal of wound management,  2022, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 2-24

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Bachelor nursing students' perceptions of a blended-learning unit on leg ulcers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Scientific paper ArODES

Paul Bobbink, Géraldine Gschwind, Celina Marques Teixeira, Lucie Charbonneau, Carole Guex, Laurent Chabal, Sebastian Probst

Journal of wound management,  2022, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 4-12

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Summary:

Aim : To face teaching challenges during COVID-19, a new three-step blended learning pedagogical scenario for leg ulcers was developed combining e-learning, theoretical seminars and workshops. The aim of this survey is to explore students’ perceptions of the three-step learning unit presented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method : An online anonymous survey comprising five Likert scale questions and two open-ended questions was sent to the 151 participating nursing students. Quantitative data were analysed with descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were addressed using thematic analysis. Results : A total of 68 students participated in this survey. The students reported that the newly developed three-step unit promoted their learning. The allocated time for the e-learning was, for 20 (29%) students, insufficient. The qualitative data demonstrated the benefits of studying in small groups and using e-learning as well as following a structured learning program. Workshops led by clinical nurse specialists and the use of adapted wound care materials were reported as essential. Conclusion : Students appreciate this three-step blended-learning unit. Small groups led by clinical specialists promote a positive learning environment. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of this approach.

Superabsorbent charcoal dressing versus silver foam dressing in wound area reduction :
Scientific paper ArODES
a randomised controlled trial

Sebastian Probst, Camille Saini, Chantal Rosset, Monika Buehrer Skinner

Journal of wound care,  2022, vol. 31, no. 2

Link to the publication

Summary:

Aim: This study aimed to compare the effect of a novel sterile polyacrylate wound pad with activated carbon cloth treatment with a standard non-adhesive hydrocellular foam dressing with silver in reducing wound area. Method: A multicentre randomised controlled open-label wound-dressing trial was conducted in two wound care outpatient clinics in western Switzerland from November 2018 to March 2020. Results: A total of 77 successive patients were randomised to receive either a sterile polyacrylate wound pad with activated carbon cloth treatment (n=38) or the standard non-adhesive hydrocellular foam dressing with silver (n=39). Reduction in wound area was the primary outcome, whereas the application period of the dressing, odour, maceration and pain were the secondary outcomes. Wound area was measured at baseline and during each wound dressing change until the dressings were no longer indicated. Wound area reduced faster in the intervention group than in the control group (0.45cm2 per day vs. 0.2cm2 per day), although the application period was longer in the intervention group compared with the control group (9.5 days vs. 8.1 days). Maceration reduction was more pronounced in the intervention group (-2.07cm2) than in the control group (-0.71cm2). Odour, pain and infection were similar in both groups. Conclusion: Sterile polyacrylate wound pad dressings with activated carbon cloth reduced the wound area, as well as the maceration area, faster than the non-adhesive hydrocellular foam dressing with silver.

E-learning and blended-learning program in wound care for undergraduate nursing students
Scientific paper ArODES

Paul Bobbink, Celina Marques Teixeira, Lucie Charbonneau, Laurent Chabal, Carole Guex, Sebastian Probst

Journal of nursing education,  2022, vol. 61, no 1, pp. 53-57

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Summary:

Background: Due to an increasing number of undergraduate students in a Bachelor of Nursing Science program, the existing teaching modalities in wound care were shifted into blended- and e-learning units. The aim is to present the development and implementation of a blended- and e-learning wound care curriculum in an actual nursing program. Method: The development of the blended- and e-learning units is based on literature reviews and expert discussions. The process was guided by the learning outcomes defined by the European Wound Management Association. The implementation was planned for 3 years. Results: All 14 learning units were developed and implemented using 12 blended and two e-learning units. Flipped classrooms using asynchronous e-learnings and workshops with clinical wound care specialists were used for blended learning. Conclusion: Blended and e-learning are valuable modalities to provide flexibility and deliver learning units based on the latest evidence. The effectiveness of this curriculum needs to be investigated.

2021

Survey of physicians’ and nurses’ needs and expectations regarding a multidisciplinary wound clinic
Scientific paper ArODES

Karine Majchrzak, Paul Bobbink, Sebastian Probst

Journal of wound management,  2021, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 21-30

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Summary:

Aim : To describe needs and expectations from healthcare professionals while setting up a multidisciplinary wound clinic. Methods : An online survey was conducted in a 190-bed hospital in Western Switzerland from the 2nd to 15th of June 2020. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. Results : A total of 166 healthcare professionals (118 nurses, 48 physicians) participated in the survey. Half of the participants (48%) saw the importance of setting up a wound clinic as 47% were taking care of wounds daily. Almost all participants (83 %) disclosed having no educational wound care background and half of them (54%) indicated having no skills and knowledge in wound management. The main aetiologies treated in a specialist center should be diabetic foot, leg and pressure ulcers, then malignant wounds. It is expected a specialist clinic cares for complex or non-healing wounds. Furthermore, 48% of participants wished a multidisciplinary expert approach with a common protocol to guarantee a continuity of care. The wound center should also have an educational role, essential in maintaining up-to-date practice. Conclusions and implications for clinical practice : In conclusion, a wound clinic should have a multidisciplinary specialist approach while ensuring evidence-based and uniform practices to provide a person-centered care. Furthermore, further-education must be offered.

A tool to promote patient and informal carer involvement for shared wound care
Professional paper ArODES

Zena Moore, Suzanne Kapp, Amanda Loney, Heidi Sandoz, Sebastian Probst, Hayley Ryan, Catherine Milne, Sylvie Meaume

Wounds international,  2021, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 86-92

Link to the publication

Summary:

Shared wound care encompasses approaches and interventions that enable patients to participate in care planning and delivery, rather than just being a passive recipient of services provided. A key step in facilitating greater shared care is identifying the individuals (patients and informal carers) who would be good candidates to be involved in shared wound care. An international survey was conducted to help identify the characteristics that may indicate an individual’s suitability to participate in shared wound care. The results of which informed the development of a guide that clinicians can use to direct discussion to better understand patient and informal carer suitability for shared wound care and identify the approaches and interventions that may be suited to the patient and informal carer’s needs.

Development of a core outcome set for venous leg ulceration (CoreVen) research evaluations (protocol)
Scientific paper ArODES

Sarah Hallas, Andrea Nelson, Susan O'Meara, Una Adderley, Pauline Meskell, Jane Nixon, Aonghus O'Loughlin, Sebastian Probst, Wael Tawfick, Thomas Wild, Georgina Gethin

Journal of tissue viability,  2021, vol. 30, no. 3, pp. 317-323

Link to the publication

Summary:

Background : A venous leg ulcer is a chronic leg wound caused by poor venous blood circulation in the lower limbs. It is a recurring condition causing pain, malodour, reduced mobility, and depression. Randomised controlled trials evaluating treatments for venous leg ulcers provide important evidence to inform clinical decision-making. However, for findings to be useful, outcomes need to be clinically meaningful, consistently reported across trials, and fully reported. Research has identified the large number of outcomes reported in venous leg ulcer trials, impacting both synthesis of results, and clinical decision-making. To address this, a core outcome set will be developed. A core outcome set is an agreed standardised set of outcomes which should be, as a minimum, measured and reported in all trials which evaluate treatment effectiveness for a given indication. A core outcome set has the potential to reduce research waste, improve the utility of RCTs, reduce reporting bias, facilitate treatment comparisons across different sources of evidence and expedite the production of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and evidence-based clinical guidelines. Aim : The aim of this project is to develop a core outcome set for research evaluating the effectiveness of interventions for treating venous leg ulceration. Methods : Through a scoping review of the literature on venous leg ulceration, we will firstly identify a list of candidate outcome domains (broad categories in relation to what is being measured) from randomised controlled trials and qualitative research, and outcomes (specific methods in relation to what is being measured). In two further stages, we will use the resulting lists of outcome domains and outcomes to design two online surveys. A range of stakeholders will be invited to participate in the surveys and they will be asked to indicate which outcome domains and outcomes are most important and should be considered as core in future research reports.

Skin problems in palliative care
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Georgina Gethin

Dans Cherny, Nathan I., Currow, David C., Fallon, Marie T., Kaasa, Stein, Portenoy, Russell K., Oxford textbook of palliative medicine  (23 p.). 2021,  Oxford : Oxford University Press

Link to the publication

Summary:

Nursing aspects of palliative wound care are driven by patient and family goals integrated with three components of wound management: the management or palliation of the underlying cause of the wound, management of wound-related symptoms, and management of the wound and peri-wound skin. Wounds most commonly encountered include pressure ulcers, fungating malignant wounds, and fistulae. Patients with blistering skin conditions, inherited and acquired, have extensive long-standing wounds and palliative care needs. In addition, meticulous skin care for patients of all ages with debilitating long-term conditions is crucial to prevent unnecessary skin breakdown. The symptoms and local problems associated with broken skin and wounds include odour, exudate, excoriation, maceration, bleeding, pain, and pruritus. Key clinical interventions include the application of wound dressings and skin care products. Unless these are managed effectively and consistently, body image and feelings of self-worth are affected together with the ability to socialize and maintain function, including, for some people, employment.

Moisture-associated skin damage (MASD) :
Scientific paper ArODES
a best practice recommendation from Wund-D.A.CH.

Joachim Dissemond, Bernd Assenheimer, Veronika Gerber, Marianne Hintner, Magareta Jukic-Puntigam, Norbert Kolbig, Sonja Koller, Peter Kurz, Severin Läuchli, Sebastian Probst, Kerstin Protz, Alfred Steiniger, Robert Strohal, Jürg Traber, Jan Kottner

Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft,  2021, vol. 19, no. 8, pp. 815-825

Link to the publication

Summary:

Wund‐D.A.CH., as the umbrella organization of German‐speaking wound treatment societies, has currently developed a best practice recommendation for skin damage caused by body fluids, which is known as moisture‐associated skin damage (MASD) in English‐speaking countries. In this expert consensus, the diseases incontinence‐associated dermatitis (IAD), intertriginous dermatitis, including intertrigo, gram‐negative bacterial toe web infection and toxic contact dermatitis, including periwound and peristomal dermatitis are presented in a differentiated manner. A common feature of these clinical diseases is a deterioration of skin integrity due to prolonged exposure to body fluids such as urine, stool, sweat or wound exudate with associated physical‐irritative and/or chemical irritation. In addition, other comorbidities and cofactors play an important role. The diagnosis of these interdisciplinary and interprofessionally relevant MASD is difficult in everyday clinical practice because there are currently no uniform definitions and many relevant differential diagnoses. Effective strategies for the prevention and therapy of these skin diseases are, for example, continence management, use of efficient, absorbent aids with good retention as well as consistent skin protection and adequate skin care. Another important aspect is the education of patients and relatives about the origin, treatment and prevention of MASD.

The measurement properties of assessment tools for chronic wounds :
Scientific paper ArODES
a systematic review

Steven Smet, Sebastian Probst, Samantha Holloway, Anika Fourie, Hilde Beele, Dimitri Beeckman

International journal of nursing studies,  2021, vol. 121, article 103998

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Summary:

Background: Chronic wounds are an increasing problem in the aging population, patients experience a lower health-related quality of life and the care for these patients is associated with high costs. Thorough wound assessments facilitate objective monitoring of wound status and progress. A wound assessment tool can guide clinicians in these wound assessments and in recording wound progress or deterioration. Objective: Systematically identify assessment tools for chronic wounds, investigate their measurement properties, and summarize the data per assessment tool. Design: Systematic review. Methods: The databases Medline (PubMed interface), Embase, CINAHL, and CENTRAL were systematically searched until May 2020 (updated in February 2021). Studies reporting the development and/or the evaluation of measurement properties of assessment tools for chronic wounds were included. The “Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments” risk of Bias checklist was applied to evaluate the methodological quality of the included studies. Each reported measurement property was rated against criteria for good measurement properties. The evidence was summarized and the quality of the evidence was graded using a modified Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Study selection, data extraction and quality appraisal were conducted independently by two reviewers and double-checked by a third reviewer. Results: Twenty-seven studies describing the measurement properties of fourteen assessment tools for chronic wounds were included. None of the studies reported a content validity evaluation by a relevance study or a comprehensiveness study in professionals. Six articles reported the development or revision of an existing assessment tool. The reported measurement properties included: structural validity (5 studies), reliability (18 studies), hypotheses testing for construct validity (18 studies) and responsiveness (7 studies). Internal consistency, cross-cultural validity / measurement invariance and measurement error were not reported. If criterion validity was assessed, the results were allocated to hypotheses testing for construct validity as no ‘gold standard’ is available. Conclusions: Fourteen assessment tools for chronic wounds were identified. Construct validity (by hypotheses testing) and responsiveness of the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing version 3.0 were supported by sufficient ratings based on moderate to high level quality of evidence. Reliability of the (Revised) Photographic Wound Assessment Tool had a sufficient rating based on moderate quality of evidence. The ratings of the measurement properties of the other wound assessment tools were either insufficient or indeterminate, or a sufficient result was supported by low to very low quality of evidence.

Prevalence and incidence of venous leg ulcers :
Scientific paper ArODES
a protocol for a systematic review

Sebastian Probst, Carolina Weller, Paul Bobbink, Camille Saini, Marie-Therese Pugliese, Monika Buehrer Skinner, Georgina Gethin

Systematic reviews,  2021, vol. 10, article 148

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Summary:

Background : Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are chronic wounds characterized by slow healing and high recurrence. Information on prevalence and incidence is essential for ascertaining the burden of VLU on the health care system and to inform epidemiological research, priority setting, and health care planning. The objective of this protocol is to present a transparent process for how we plan to review the existing international literature on the prevalence and incidence of VLU as well as the characteristics of the population reported within these studies. Methods : An exploratory search was performed using MEDLINE via PubMed and CINHAL via Ebsco to identify concepts, keywords, MeSH terms, and headings to identify study types looking at data of VLU prevalence and/or incidence and related patient characteristics. The findings of this exploratory search will determine the final search strategy. The titles and abstracts of the identified articles will be screened independently be two authors for relevance. Study which pass the quality assessment will be included. Data extraction will be performed independently by two authors and in accordance with a pre-designed data extraction form. If the data allows, a meta-analysis will be performed otherwise a descriptive summary of the findings will be conducted. Discussion : The results of this review will contribute to the evidence base on VLU occurrence and may inform the decision making of healthcare professionals, policy-makers, and consumers. It will also inform future research in this area of VLU care.

Health literacy in people with venous leg ulcers :
Scientific paper ArODES
a protocol for scoping review

Carolina Weller, Victoria Team, Sebastian Probst, Georgina Gethin, Catelyn Richards, Jane Sixsmith, Louise Turnour, Ayoub Bouguettaya

BMJ open,  2021, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 1-11

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Summary:

Introduction : Chronic venous leg ulcer (VLU) healing is a complex clinical problem. It requires intervention from skilled, costly, multidisciplinary wound-care teams, working with patients to manage their care. Compression therapy has been shown to help heal venous ulcers and to reduce recurrence, with some evidence suggesting the value of exercise as well. These activities require health education and health literacy (HL) as patients must process, understand and consistently apply health information for successful self-management. Research suggests that those most vulnerable to VLUs also tend to have limited HL, but there have been no reviews examining the state of HL in patients with previous or active VLUs. This scoping review aims to examine the level of HL in VLU patients and how HL may link to self-management behaviours (particularly exercise and compression adherence), and their VLU healing generally. Methods and analysis : We will use Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Scoping Review guidelines and the Levac methodology framework to explore eligible papers that examine the effect of HL on their exercise and compression adherence. Electronic databases will be searched (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, PsycInfo and Health, OpenGray), examining for all papers on these subjects published between 2000 and 2020. All studies describing compression and or exercise during VLU management will be included. Study characteristics will be recorded; qualitative data will be extracted and evaluated. Quantitative data will be extracted and summarised. Ethics and dissemination : We will disseminate results through peer-reviewed publications. We will use data (ie, journal articles) from publicly available platforms; so, this study does not require ethical review. The consultation step will be carried out with patients, carers and health professionals as part of an established wound consumer group.

Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of a survey on skin tears among nurses in French-speaking Switzerland
Scientific paper ArODES

Lucie Charbonneau, Sebastian Probst, Georgina Gethin

Journal of wound management,  2021, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 43-48

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Summary:

Background: There is a paucity of research investigating the experiences of nurses using a standardised skin tears programme and the influence that such a programme has on their clinical practice. The available literature is primarily in English, and there is a lack of validated instruments for use in other languages, including French. Aim : The aim of this study is to translate and cross-culturally adapt an original English language survey conducted among Australian nurses into Swiss French. Method/results : A structured methodological approach was used to translate, adapt and validate the survey based on Sousa and Rojjanasrirat’s translating process: (1) two independent bilingual experts were involved in the translation from English to Swiss French, and a synthesis version from both translations in Swiss French was obtained; (2) a blind back-translation of the synthesis version in English by two experts was completed, and consensus attained by a committee, to generate a pre-final version of the survey in Swiss French; (3) validation of the translated version was provided by postgraduate wound care students. Conclusion : The translated Swiss French 2020 survey is now ready to be used to assess the clinical reasoning of wound care specialists on the prevention.

Venous leg ulcer recurrences :
Scientific paper ArODES
the relationship to self-efficacy, social support and quality of life : a mixed method study

Sebastian Probst, Paul Bobbink, Laurence Séchaud, Monika Buehrer Skinner

Journal of advanced nursing,  2021, vol. 77, no. 1, pp. 367-375

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Summary:

Aim : The aim of this study was to explore the occurrence of venous leg ulcer recurrence and the relationship with self‐efficacy, social support and quality of life. Furthermore, we investigated the lived experiences of those patients and their understanding of why they developed a recurrence. Design : We used a convergent parallel mixed method design consisting of a cohort and an interpretative phenomenological study arm. Methods : Consecutive patients (N = 145) were recruited into the study. Between 2014 and 2018, three primary care centres took part in the study. Data collection methods included chart review, administered questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews. Results : The incidence of the venous leg ulcer recurrence was 33.1% within the study period. The scores for self‐efficacy, social support and venous leg ulcer health‐related quality of life show little variation between all measurement points and within subgroups. The qualitative findings identified two main themes: accidentally damaging the skin and avoiding venous leg ulcer recurrences. Venous leg ulcer recurrences frequently arose from accidents. Therefore, participants developed strategies to avoid additional ulcers. Conclusion : To optimize recurrence prevention, improvements in knowledge of people with VLUs should be considered.

Reinigung einer geröteten perkutanen endoskopischen Gastrostomie-Einstichstelle mit einer Lösung auf Basis von Octenidinhydrochlorid und Phenoxyethanol – eine Fallbeobachtung
Professional paper ArODES

Sebastian Kruschwitz, Sebastian Probst

WUNDmanagement,  2021, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 70-71

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2020

Nurses are research leaders in skin and wound care
Scientific paper ArODES

Georgina Gethin, Sebastian Probst, Carolina Weller, Jan Kottner, Dimitri Beeckman

International wound journal,  2020, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 2005-2009

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Summary:

The World Health Assembly declared 2020, the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. Recent editorials and commentaries support the leading role of nurses and midwives as frontline caregivers emphasizing the need to invest in the nursing workforce worldwide to meet global health needs. Today nurses are also leaders in research and one example is skin and wound care. In order to reflect on the contribution of nurses as researchers we conducted a systematic review of published articles in five international leading wound care journals in the years 1998, 2008 and 2018. We aimed to determine the type of research publication and percentage of nurses as first, second or senior authors. The place in the authorship was selected as indicative of leadership as it implies responsibility and accountability for the published work. Across the years 1998, 2008 and 2018, 988 articles were published. The overall proportion of nurse‐led articles was 29% (n = 286). The total numbers of articles increased over time and so too did the nurse‐led contributions. Nurse‐led research was strongest in the design categories 'cohort studies' (46%, n = 44), 'systematic reviews' (46%, n = 19), and 'critically appraised literature and evidence‐based guidelines' (47%, n = 55).Results of this review indicate that, in addition to the crucial clinical roles, nurses also have a substantial impact on academia and development of the evidence base to guide clinical practice. Our results suggest that nurse led contributions were particularly strong in research summarizing research to guide skin and wound care practice.

This editorial is dedicated to the WHO Assembly 2020 Year of the Nurse and Midwife :
Professional paper ArODES
journal editorial

Georgina Gethin, Sebastian Probst

Journal of the european wound management association,  2020, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 3-4

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Experiences of Venous Leg Ulcer persons following an individualised nurse-led education :
Scientific paper ArODES
protocol for a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory approach

Paul Bobbink, Philip Larkin, Sebastian Probst

BMJ open,  2020, vol. 10, no. 11, article e042605

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Summary:

Introduction : Venous leg ulcers are slow-healing wounds with a high risk of recurrences. To prevent recurrences and promote healing, different nurse-led educational interventions have been developed. The impact of these interventions on self-management is ambiguous. Also, how persons with a venous leg ulcer experiences these educational sessions are poorly described. Aim : This study protocol presents the methodology to provide a comprehensive explanation of participants’ journeys—of how they experience their individualised education sessions concerning self-management. Methods and analysis : A constructivist grounded theory approach according to Charmaz involving 30 participants will be used. Data will be collected through semistructured face-to-face interviews. Interviews will be transcribed verbatim and analysed with initial and focus coding using MAXQDA. Data collection and data analysis will occur iteratively, focusing on constant comparison to obtain well-developed categories. Categories will be reinforced using existent literature. Ethics and dissemination : This pre-results study is embedded in a clinical trial (NCT04019340) and approved by ethical committee of the canton of Geneva (CCER: 2019-01964). A theory will emerge from participants’ journeys informing future education sessions for patients with venous leg ulcers. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and communications.

Virtually EWMA :
Professional paper ArODES
telemedicine and the future

Sebastian Probst, Georgina Gethin

Journal of wound care,  2020, vol. 29, no. 11, S3

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Evidence for person-centred care in chronic wound care :
Scientific paper ArODES
a systematic review and recommendations for practice

Georgina Gethin, Sebastian Probst, Jan Stryja, Natalia Christiansen, Patricia Price

Journal of wound care,  2020, vol. 29 (suppl. 9b), pp. 1-23

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Summary:

Background : Chronic wounds affect an estimated 2.21 per 1000 population. They are a significant source of morbidity and affect individuals physically, psychologically, socially and financially. Person-centered care is one approach to improve patient outcomes in wound care as it values patients' perspectives, beliefs and autonomy and considers the person as a whole within the cultural context in which care is provided. Aim : We aimed to review the evidence on the use of person-centered care (PCC) in chronic wound care management and provide recommendations for practice and future research. Method : Using a systematic review methodology, we searched six databases for full-text papers from 2009–2019 published in peer-reviewed journals with no limits on language. Results : Eighteen articles on studies involving 3149 patients from nine countries were identified. Studies were conducted under three broad intervention categories: healthcare professional education (n=1); patient education (n=14) and telemedicine (n=3). Studies were equally focused on prevention and treatment of chronic wounds. Significant improvements were reported in patient knowledge, pain and self-care behaviours. Only two studies evaluated the impact on wound healing and one study estimated the cost of implementing person-centered care. Conclusions : The evidence base to support PCC in wound management is developing and based on our review has shown improved outcomes in areas of pressure ulcer prevention, patient satisfaction, patient knowledge and quality of life, but clinical outcomes such as wound healing were less well explored. Further research with more objective outcome measures are required.

Uniting drug and delivery :
Scientific paper ArODES
metal oxide hybrid nanotherapeutics for skin wound care

Martin T. Matter, Sebastian Probst, Severin Läuchli, Inge K. Herrmann

Pharmaceutics,  2020, vol. 12, no. 8, pp. 1-17

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Summary:

Wound care and soft tissue repair have been a major human concern for millennia. Despite considerable advancements in standards of living and medical abilities, difficult-to-heal wounds remain a major burden for patients, clinicians and the healthcare system alike. Due to an aging population, the rise in chronic diseases such as vascular disease and diabetes, and the increased incidence of antibiotic resistance, the problem is set to worsen. The global wound care market is constantly evolving and expanding, and has yielded a plethora of potential solutions to treat poorly healing wounds. In ancient times, before such a market existed, metals and their ions were frequently used in wound care. In combination with plant extracts, they were used to accelerate the healing of burns, cuts and combat wounds. With the rise of organic chemistry and small molecule drugs and ointments, researchers lost their interest in inorganic materials. Only recently, the advent of nano-engineering has given us a toolbox to develop inorganic materials on a length-scale that is relevant to wound healing processes. The robustness of synthesis, as well as the stability and versatility of inorganic nanotherapeutics gives them potential advantages over small molecule drugs. Both bottom-up and top-down approaches have yielded functional inorganic nanomaterials, some of which unite the wound healing properties of two or more materials. Furthermore, these nanomaterials do not only serve as the active agent, but also as the delivery vehicle, and sometimes as a scaffold. This review article provides an overview of inorganic hybrid nanotherapeutics with promising properties for the wound care field. These therapeutics include combinations of different metals, metal oxides and metal ions. Their production, mechanism of action and applicability will be discussed in comparison to conventional wound healing products.

Wound curriculum for nurses :
Scientific paper ArODES
post-registration qualification wound management–European qualification framework level 7

Samantha Holloway, Andrea Pokornà, Alexandra Janssen, Karen Ousey, Sebastian Probst

Journal of wound care,  2020, vol. 29 (suppl. 7a), pp. 1-39

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The lived experience of recurrence prevention in patients with venous leg ulcers :
Scientific paper ArODES
an interpretative phenomenological study

Sebastian Probst, Laurence Séchaud, Paul Bobbink, Monika Buehrer Skinner, Carolina Weller

Journal of tissue viability,  2020, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 176-179

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Summary:

Aim of the study: To explore patient understanding of why they develop a venous leg ulcer and how they can prevent recurrence. Method: The methodological framework of the hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seventeen participants living with a venous leg ulcer from May 2017 to November 2018. Data were analysed using Smith's interpretative hermeneutic analysis. Results: The results are categorised into three main themes: “Trauma due to accident” (initial venous leg ulcer) and “Prevention of ulcer recurrence” (compression); “Trauma due to compression therapy” (venous leg ulcer recurrence). The findings demonstrate active venous leg ulcers are often caused by acute incidents while carrying out an activity in people with underlying chronic venous insufficiency. After a complete healing, preventive measures, such a compression stockings are initiated by the patient or health care provider. Trauma due to adherence to compression stockings caused skin breakdown beneath compression that caused subsequent ulcer recurrence. Conclusion: This study contributes to understanding the lived experience of patients with venous leg ulcers who develop a venous leg ulcer and their understanding of how they can prevent recurrence. Patients with VLUs would benefit from early preventive strategies, such as such a compression stockings fitting and application, integrated into daily care plan of primary care and community settings.

Development and feasibility of a multidisciplinary education program on adherence to treatment in persons with venous leg ulcers in the clinical setting :
Scientific paper ArODES
a pilot study

Sebastian Probst, Camille Saini, Monika Buehrer Skinner

Journal of advanced nursing,  2020, vol. 76, no. 10, pp. 2733-2736

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Summary:

Aims : The aim of this study is to: (a) develop an evidence‐based multidisciplinary educational intervention for patients with a venous leg ulcer; and (b) conduct a pilot study to assess the feasibility of the intervention in the clinical setting. Design : A two‐stage study design was used: (a) an multidisciplinary expert committee designed an educational intervention including support materials; and (b) a pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the feasibility of the intervention in one wound care outpatient clinic in Western Switzerland. Methods : A multidisciplinary expert committee identified evidence for effective care interventions to improve venous leg ulcer patients’ wound healing and recurrences rates. They subsequently designed the educational intervention and support materials. In this pilot study venous leg ulcer patients were then randomly assigned to receive multidisciplinary education or standard care from March–July 2018. The objective was to evaluate the feasibility of the intervention in the clinical setting. Allocation to groups was achieved to concealed, simple randomization. Participants and study nurses were not blinded, data analyst was blinded. Results : The intervention, including support material was developed. Twelve of 16 invited venous leg ulcer patients were recruited and randomized (control group N = 6; intervention group N = 6). Participation rate was 75%. The implementation of the intervention was feasible in the clinical setting. The performance of the Venous Leg Ulcer Self Efficacy Tool for measuring adherence to therapy and the Mini Nutritional Assessment and Frequent Food Questionnaire for the assessment of the nutritional intake was satisfactory. However, Fitbit smartwatch for measuring activity was not a suitable device in this study population. Conclusion : The implementation of the designed multidisciplinary educational program was feasible. The pilot study identified weaknesses in the study protocol, which will be amended for the full‐size clinical trial. Impact : Findings of the pilot study informed the improvement of the design of the main study.

Nurse-led patient education for persons suffering from a venous leg ulcer in outpatient's clinics and homecare settings :
Scientific paper ArODES
a scoping review

Paul Bobbink, Marie-Therese Pugliese, Philip Larkin, Sebastian Probst

Journal of tissue viability,  2020, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 297-309

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Summary:

Aim of this study : To provide an overview of the available nurse-led individualized educational interventions, for persons with Venous Leg Ulcer (VLUs) in an outpatient or homecare settings. Materials and methods : For this scoping review, a search was performed between December 2019 and January 2020. To identify sources of evidence a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, PsychINFO, Web of Science and LiSSa as well as in clinical trial registers to identify sources of evidence. All types of evidence associated with a nurse led-intervention were included. Results : Fifteen sources of evidence met the inclusion criteria. Educational sessions varied in modality, content and duration. Education sessions were face to face and supported by written materiel. The content focused on compression therapy and exercises. The duration and numbers of sessions varied. The most reported health related outcomes was wound healing. Conclusion : This scoping review provides a broad overview of the available evidence and ongoing research for individualized nurse-led education persons with VLUs. Variability in the literature was found, which suggests that more intervention studies are needed to test and evaluate efficacy of nurse-led patient education.

Wound care management :
Book ArODES
a person-centred approach

Sebastian Probst

2020,  Édimbourg : Elsevier Edinburgh : Elsevier,  178 p.

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Summary:

A must have for any nurse wanting to expand their knowledge in this area of wound care. Wound Care Nursing 3rd edition introduces a person-centred approach to wound care practice across the lifespan. The books is fully illustrated with colour photographs and illustrations throughout, and including extensive case studies to demonstrate the practical applications of the most recent research in this area.

Surgical site infection :
Scientific paper ArODES
prevention and management across health-care sectors

Jan Stryja, Kylie Sandy-Hodgetts, Mark Collier, Claus Moser, Karen Ousey, Sebastian Probst, Jennie Wilson, Deborah Xuereb

Journal of wound care,  2020, vol. 29, no. 2, suppl. 2b, pp. S1-S69

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Von der Idee zum Produktstandard :
Professional paper ArODES
Anforderungen an medizinische Einweg-Fußverbände am Beispiel Pedilay® med

Susanne Schranner, Sebastian Probst

Wundmanagement,  2020, vol. 1, pp. 34-35

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Cancer and palliative wound care
Book chapter ArODES

Sebastian Probst

Dans Probst, Sebastian, Wound care nursing : a person-centred approach  (12 p.). 2020,  Édimbourg : Elsevier Edinburgh : Elsevier

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Summary:

This chapter looks at the challenges of managing cancer-related and palliative wounds. Palliative wound care includes the care of patients, of all ages, with the management of wounds caused by advanced diseases and conditions.

2019

Comparison of sterile polyacrylate wound dressing with activated carbon cloth and a standard non-adhesive hydrocellular foam dressing with silver :
Scientific paper ArODES
a randomised controlled trial protocol

Sebastian Probst, Camille Saini, Monika Buehrer Skinner

Journal of wound care,  2019, vol. 28, no. 11, pp. 722-728

Link to the publication

Summary:

Objective: Hard-to-heal wounds such as leg (LU) or diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are slow healing, have a high recurrence rate and are associated with infection, smell and exudate. Current therapeutic approaches are multifaceted and focus on improving wound healing and preventing recurrences. Advanced wound dressings, especially super absorbent dressings are an important aspect of wound care, as hard-to-heal wounds tend to produce excessive amounts of exudate, which may contribute to maceration and excoriation, thus delaying wound healing. Additionally, excessive wound exudate is associated with malodour. Therefore, an important aspect of care is the management of exudate and odour. The use of effective advanced wound dressings is a promising strategy to achieve adequate absorption of wound exudate and malodour promoting wound healing. The aim of the current study is to determine whether there is a difference in wound size reduction between wounds dressed with either a sterile polyacrylate wound dressing with activated carbon cloth or a hydrocellular foam dressing with silver. Method: A randomised controlled trial with 248 participants in one wound care outpatient clinic is proposed. Randomisation will be concealed. The outcome assessor will be blinded to the group allocation of participants. Conclusion: This research project compares two wound dressings in an everyday care setting. Since the cost of hard-to-heal wounds to individuals, the economy and society is high, an evaluation of which wound dressing leads to a faster reduction of wound size and subsequent wound healing is an important issue/question for the individuals affected, their families, society and the health-care system.

Palliative wound care :
Professional paper ArODES
journal editorial

Sebastian Probst

Journal of the european wound management association,  2019, vol. 20, no. 2, p. 5

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A targeted interprofessional educational intervention to address therapeutic adherence of venous leg ulcer persons (TIEIVLU) :
Scientific paper ArODES
study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Sebastian Probst, Lara Allet, Jocelyne Depeyre Laure, Sophie Colin, Monika Buehrer Skinner

Trials,  2019, vol. 20, 243

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Summary:

Background : Venous leg ulcers are slow-healing wounds with a high recurrence rate of 70% and a 60% risk of becoming chronic. Signs and symptoms such as pain or exudate are not only a burden on those affected but also on the healthcare system and society in general. The estimated leg ulcer prevalence in the general population is 1%. Treatment costs for leg ulcers are estimated to be 3% of overall health expenditure. Current therapeutic approaches are multifaceted and include compression therapy, leg elevation, specific ankle-exercises and a protein diet. They require an interdisciplinary team of health care professionals. Approximately 70% of patients have a knowledge deficit with regards to therapeutic measures and have difficulties with adherence to treatment protocols. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the treatment team provides effective patient education and support during the learning phase. However, there is little evidence and no published studies that describe and evaluate effective interdisciplinary educational interventions that target compliance/adherence to the treatment plan in patients with leg ulcers. We therefore propose to develop an evidence-based interprofessional educational intervention and evaluate its feasibility first in a pilot study and subsequently in a randomized controlled trial. Method/Design : First, the development of an evidence-based educational intervention in collaboration with an expert panel is proposed and second, a randomized controlled feasibility study in a wound-care outpatient clinic. Eligible patients (n = 20) with leg ulcers will be randomized to receive either interdisciplinary education and usual care or only usual care, for 12 weeks. Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 25. Univariate and bivariate analysis will be conducted according to the data level and distribution of the data. Discussion : We will first develop an evidenced-based educational intervention and second, we will examine the feasibility of implementing this educational intervention in a realistic care context in patients with leg ulcers. The results will inform the final design of a subsequent randomized controlled trial, which will examine the effectiveness of the educational intervention. An intervention that enhances patient adherence to therapy would be beneficial to individual patients and to society as a whole. Trial registration : ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03454698. Registered on 6 March 2018.

Wound curriculum for nurses :
Scientific paper ArODES
post-registration qualification wound management - european qualification framework level 6

Sebastian Probst, Samantha Holloway, Sara Rowan, Andrea Pokornà

Journal of wound care,  2019, vol. 28 (suppl. 2b), pp. 1-33

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Living with a chronic wound :
Professional paper ArODES
an update of an ongoing project by the European Wound Management Association

Sebastian Probst

Wounds international,  2019, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 25-27

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Summary:

Chronic wounds have an impact on the activity of daily living of patients and their families. They also represent a significant challenge for care providers. To demonstrate what it means living with a chronic wound, the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) initiated a project, which used short video sequences to illustrate the experiences of patients living with a chronic wound, the experiences of healthcare professionals providing wound care and to give a voice to representatives from healthcare institutions. A total of 37 video sequences with nine patients, six carers and 20 healthcare professionals within five European countries were conducted. The results showed that patients experienced a good relationship and communication with the healthcare professional and they were confident their wounds would heal rapidly. It can be concluded that the EWMA project helped to better understand what it means living with a chronic wound, as well as what standard of care is required.

Internal consistency and reliability of the Swiss-French translation of the venous leg ulcer self efficacy tool (VeLUSET)
Scientific paper ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Mathieu Turcotte, Monika Buehrer Skinner

BMJ open,  2019, vol. 9, no. 12, e031529

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Patient-centred care :
Professional paper ArODES
journal editorial

Sebastian Probst

Journal of the european wound management association,  2019, vol. 20, no. 1, p. 5

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2018

Determining the current level of wound management education in the pre-registration nursing curricula
Scientific paper ArODES

Sebastian Probst, Siobhan Murphy

EWMA journal,  2018, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 83-87

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Pressure ulcers in health care settings
Professional paper ArODES

Sebastian Probst

EWMA journal,  2018, vol. 19, no. 2, p. 5

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Evaluation of needs and treatment benefits in outpatient care for leg ulcer patients :
Scientific paper ArODES
a pilot study

Paul Bobbink, Diane Morin, Sebastian Probst

Journal of wound care,  August 2018, vol. 2, no. 8, pp. 527-533

Link to the publication

Summary:

Objective : Leg ulcers can take a long time to heal and have a high recurrence rate. This study aims to describe the sociodemographic and medical profile, and therapeutic needs of patients with leg ulcers, and the benefits of care in a specialised leg ulcers outpatient clinic. Method : This is a descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study of patients of a university hospital outpatient clinic. A sociodemographic and medical questionnaire and the Patient Benefit Index-wound (PBI-w) were used to collect data on the therapeutic needs (patient needs questionnaire, PNQ) and benefits of treatment (patient benefit questionnaire, PBQ) they received. Results : A total of 32 patients with leg ulcers were recruited. Results demonstrated that a clear diagnosis and therapy, rapid wound closure and confidence in the therapy given are the most important treatment objectives for patients. Patients mentioned that their therapy benefitted most from confidence in the treatment given, decreased pain and being able to continue living normally. The PBI-w mean score was 2.93 (standard deviation=0.75) on a scale of zero (‘did not help at all’) to four (‘helped a lot’). The PBI-w score showed that the patients benefitted from the treatment they received. Conclusion : This pilot study showed the feasibility of using the PBI-w in practice in an outpatient clinic to assess patients' needs, which could help health professionals improve treatment and care for people with leg ulcers. The study also pointed towards the benefits of care for patients who consult specialised outpatient clinics.

Pflege und Behandlung der malignen Wunde :
Book ArODES
Konzept und Leitfaden für die Praxis

Sebastian Probst, Susanne Bornhauser

2018,  [S.l.] : Onkologiepflege Schweiz = Soins en Oncologie Suisse = Cure Oncologiche Svizzera Berne : Onkologiepflege Schweiz = Soins en Oncologie Suisse = Cure Oncologiche Svizzera S.l. : Onkologiepflege Schweiz S.l. : Onkologiepflege Schweiz = Soins en Oncologie Suisse = Cure Oncologiche Svizzera S.l. : Soins en Oncologie Suisse,  31

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2017

It is a pleasure to present to you the October edition of the EWMA Journal under the headline of our next conference :
Professional paper ArODES
“New Frontiers in Wound Management”

Sebastian Probst

EWMA journal,  2017, vol. 18, no. 2, p. 5

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Un nouveau chemin se dessine
Professional paper ArODES

Carolyn Wyndham-White, Olivier Tejerina, Sebastian Probst

Soins infirmiers = Krankenpflege = Cure infermieristiche,  2017, vol. 10, pp. 56-59

Link to the publication

Summary:

Dans le domaine infirmier, la spécialisation en soins de plaies et cicatrisation existe depuis une vingtaine d’années. Retour sur l’évolution de la formation au fil du temps en Suisse romande et perspectives d’avenir.

2016

Complementary and alternative therapies for management of odor in malignant fungating wounds :
Scientific paper ArODES
a critical review

Georgina Gethin, Caroline McIntosh, Sebastian Probst

Chronic wound care management and research,  2016, vol. 3, pp. 51-57

Link to the publication

Summary:

Malignant fungating wounds (MFWs) affect an estimated 5%–10% of all people with cancer. They have a profound effect on the individual, and their associated symptoms such as bleeding, odor, exudate, and pain cause much distress, anxiety, and social isolation. Odor is cited by patients and clinicians as the worst aspect of such wounds. Strategies to manage odor at the wound site include the use of complementary and alternative therapies. This review aimed to synthesize the current evidence for the use of complementary and alternative therapies in the management of odor in MFWs. No restrictions on date, language, or care setting were applied. Nine databases were searched yielding four papers meeting our criteria. Of the four papers, one was a randomized controlled trial (RCT), and three were case studies. Two papers investigated the use of green tea teabags as a secondary dressing, while others used essential oils either combined with a cream applied directly to the wound or as a secondary dressing. In an RCT, green tea was used as a solution to cleanse the wound followed by the application of green tea teabag as a secondary dressing versus metronidazole powder for the management of odor over 7 days. All patients reported a reduction in odor and physical discomfort, and an improvement in social interaction and appetite, but the difference between groups was not statistically significant. The case studies all reported an improvement in odor management. The use of complementary and alternative therapies in the management of MFW-associated malodor is not supported by evidence from RCTs. Green tea may have potential as a secondary dressing to manage odor. Further research in this area is warranted.

Antibiotic-loaded resorbable bone-graft substitute :
Scientific paper ArODES
a new treatment for osteomyelitis/osteitis

Bernd Gächter, Jennifer Frieda Angehrn, Stephane Schlunke, Sebastian Probst, Paul Biegger

Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology,  2016, vol. 4, no. 8, pp. 405-412

Link to the publication

Summary:

Patients with osteomyelitis require lengthy antibiotic treatment, often only to see the inflammation flare up once antibiotics are suspended. Unfortunately, patients often discontinue the antibiotic treatment due to collateral effects. Patients with osteitis are often polymorbid patients with other severe diseases such as diabetes mellitus and polyneuropathy, arteriopathy or polyarthritis withimmunosuppression. The eight patients included in the study presented nine bones with osteomyelitis (macroscopically, bacteriologically, histologically or radiologically). The diseased part of the bone was resected, a locally radical debridement was done and a biopsy for bacteriology and histology were taken. The residual bone was then drilled out and filled with antibiotic-loaded (gentamicin) resorbable bone-graft substitute under radiologic imaging control. In total, seven patients are currently without recurrent osteomyelitis with a mean follow-up of 5.77 months (2~11 months). The Kaplan Meier curve shows 80% survival rate without recurrent osteomyelitis at 11 months. Only one patient suffering from Morbus Buerger had a relapse osteomyelitis after cutting off severing his foot while swimming in the sea. Antibiotic-loaded resorbable bone-graft substitute is easy to use, has in our hands few complications and low recurrence rate.

2025

Enhancing wound care knowledge through a serious game: development and preliminary evaluation
Conference

Sofia Zahia, Bobbink Paul, Pichon Swann, Stefanelli Alessio, Guillaume Chanel, Rania Niri, Probst Sebastian

EWMA, 26.03.2025 - 28.03.2025, Barcelone

2024

HTA48 - Systematic review and quality assessment of clinical and economic evidence for superabsorbent wound dressings in a population with chronic ulcers
Conference ArODES

V. Velickovic, T. Macmillan, E. Lones, Velickovic, P. Arija Prieto, N. Webb, A. Crompton, I. Munro, V.F. Carvalho, S. Attila, D. Bárdos, Y. Lin, H. Chiao, Sebastian Probst

Value in health

Link to the conference

Tissue Viability on Digital Age
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Congresso Internacional da viabilidade Tecidular e dos Cuidados à Pessoa com Ferida, 26.01.2024 - 26.01.2024, Aveiro, Portugal

Implementierung KI-basierter Wunddokumentations- und Analysesysteme
Conference

Probst Sebastian

XXI. International Postgraduate Course Diabetic Foot, 20.01.2024 - 20.01.2024, Rheine, Germany

2023

Einrisse fragiler Haut – eine Übersicht
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Nürnberger Wundkongress, 23.11.2023 - 24.11.2023, Nürnberg, Germany

Edukation bei Patienten mit einem Ulcus Cruris Venosum
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Nürnberger Wundkongress, 23.11.2023 - 24.11.2023, Nürnberg, Germany

Palliative Wundversorgung
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Nürnberger Wundkongress, 23.11.2023 - 24.11.2023, Nürnberg, Germany

Antimicrobials and non-healing wounds - What is new?
Conference

Probst Sebastian

XVII Italian Association of Cutaneous Ulcers Ets (AIUC) National Congress, 12.10.2023 - 12.10.2023, Torino, Italy

Reshaping Wound Care Practice using Artificial Intelligence
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel Conference, 13.09.2023 - 13.09.2023, Leeds

Nurse led patient centred education for persons with venous leg ulcers: a constructivist grounded theory
Conference

Bobbink Paul, Larkin Philip, Probst Sebastian

International Council of Nurses Congress, 01.07.2023 - 05.07.2023, Montréal

My hardest wound - Challenges in today’s wound care and how to overcome them
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Polish Wound Care Association conference, 15.06.2023 - 15.06.2023, virtual

Edukation bei Patienten mit einem diabetischen Fussulkus.
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Wiener Wundkongress, 02.06.2023 - 02.06.2023, Vienna

Künstliche Intelligenz in der Wundversogung – Macht das Sinn?
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Deutscher Wundkongress, 11.05.2023 - 11.05.2023, Bremen

Antimicrobials and non-healing wounds – what is new?.
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Wound Management Association, 03.05.2023 - 05.05.2023, Milan

Overview of individuals with chronic wounds and public engagement in research on a European and international level
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Wound Management Association, 03.05.2023 - 05.05.2023, Milan

Overview of the management and treatment of oncological wounds
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Wound Management Association, 03.05.2023 - 05.05.2023, Milan

The tissue viability´s and patient`s role in wound management
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Wound Management Association, 03.05.2023 - 05.05.2023, Milan

Wound Care: competenze, abilità e contenuti previsti dall'insegnamento del wound care nel percorso di studi di base in Europa
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Wound Management Association, 03.05.2023 - 05.05.2023, Milan

Updates in nurse research projects in Europe
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Journées Cicatrisations 2023, 15.01.2023 - 17.01.2023, Paris

Technology in wound care and the global energy sparing
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Journées Cicatrisations 2023, 15.01.2023 - 17.01.2023, Paris

Evaluation de l’impact d’une formation hybride sur les connaissances des étudiant-e-s en soins infirmiers sur les escarres à l'aide du Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Tool : étude longitudinale
Conference
Poster

Gschwind Géraldine, Bobbink Paul, Charbonneau Lucie, Guex Carole, Chabal Laurent, Probst Sebastian

SFFPC - Journées cicatrisations, 15.01.2023 - 17.01.2023, Paris

2022

Best Practice Wound Cleansing
Conference

Probst Sebastian

WOCNext, 05.06.2022 - 08.06.2022, Forth Worth, TX, USA

The impact of patient health and lifestyle factors on wound healing - Alcohol and Sleep
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Wound Management Association, EWMA, 23.05.2022 - 25.05.2022, Paris, France

The gaps to fill for improving the quality of communication in wound management and the role of EWMA
Conference

Probst Sebastian

European Wound Management Association, EWMA, 23.05.2022 - 25.05.2022, Paris, France

Patient-centered education in wound management
Conference

Probst Sebastian

5th Transatlantic Wound Science & Podiatric Medicine Conference and The All Ireland Podiatry Conference, 28.04.2022 - 30.04.2022, Galway, Ireland

Wundauflagen - Evidenzlage
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Wound Specialist Day, 22.04.2022 - 22.04.2022, University Hosptial Zurich

Wounds of patients with diabetes and quality of life
Conference

Probst Sebastian

SAWC Spring Conference, 07.04.2022 - 09.04.2022, Phoenix, AZ, USA

Wound Care from Today and Tomorrow
Conference

Probst Sebastian

Imito keynote, 15.03.2022 - 15.03.2022, online

2021

Set up of a multidisciplinary wound clinic : a survey of physicians’ and nurses’ needs and expectations.
Conference

Karine Majchrzak, Bobbink Paul, Probst Sebastian

EWMA, 26.10.2021 - 27.10.2021, Virtual Paris

2020

Designing an online course based on the EWMA curricula.
Conference

Probst Sebastian, Bobbink Paul

EWMA, 18.11.2020 - 19.11.2020, Online

2019

Implementation of the Level 5 and Level 6 Post-Registration Wound Curriculum for Nurses, Switzerland
Conference

Bobbink Paul, Probst Sebastian

EWMA, 05.06.2019 - 07.06.2019, Gothenburg

2018

Formation en plaies et cicatrisation en Suisse romande - Réflexion sur l’utilisation du curriculum Européen.
Conference
Poster

Bobbink Paul, Charbonneau Lucie, Chabal Laurent, Chantal Rosset, Saini Camille, Probst Sebastian

SAfW, 19.09.2018 - 20.09.2018, Bienne

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