Abstract
The Pressure Ulcer Interest Subcommittee (PUISC) of the Australian Wound Management Association (AWMA) has prepared Guidelines for the Prediction and Prevention of Pressure Ulcers. The Subcommittee, a multidisciplinary panel of health professionals, reviewed available research on pressure ulcer prediction and prevention and developed recommendations based on the best evidence. When good evidence was not available, consensus statements were prepared.
The supporting evidence was rated using the levels of evidence as recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC). The major recommendations in the guidelines are:

Specific risk factors for the development of pressure ulcers have been documented in the guidelines with levels of supporting evidence. The guidelines have been prepared as a general guide to appropriate practice and should only be followed subject to the health practitioner’s judgement in each individual case.

Abstract
Since the late 1960s, guidelines for clinical care of a large number of diseases have been promulgated under a variety of guises by health care institutions and medical or specialty societies. They offer evidenced based practical guidance in the management of a health problem to institutions, clinicians and patients. In addition, they reduce variations in clinical practice, they reduce costs and they improve patient, clinician and institutional outcomes.
Many clinicians, however, remain sceptical of the real-life value of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The processes used to develop, disseminate and implement CPGs are critical to their successful adoption. Key factors in this process relate to the identification of the need for the CPG, a multidisciplinary approach to their development, gaining institutional and clinical leader support for their implementation, consulting with and educating staff and patients and having a well planned implementation strategy.
Pressure ulcers are acknowledged as a significant health problem within Australian health care settings. The Australian Wound Management Association (AWMA) has developed CPGs for the prediction and prevention of pressure ulcers. This paper will discuss the general attributes and benefits of CPGs, barriers to their adoption and key factors to successful dissemination and implementation. A practical approach for introducing the AWMA CPGs for pressure ulcers will also be outlined.

Abstract
The causes of pressure ulcer development have been the subject of investigation for centuries. It is commonly accepted that the majority of pressure related tissue injuries (pressure ulcers) which are caused by unrelieved external pressure are preventable. In spite of this knowledge, the prevalence of pressure ulcers worldwide remains unacceptably high. Lack of nursing care, in particular, is still seen as one of the primary causes for their development. Pressure ulcers are increasingly used as an indicator of the quality of care.

Whilst pressure ulcer research in Australia is in its infancy, accumulated data indicate that pressure ulcers and their sequelae are a significant problem, the extent of which is not fully appreciated by government, institutions or clinicians. This failure to acknowledge the problem may be because pressure ulcers are not viewed in the same context as other acute or chronic diseases such as heart disease.

Despite this, clinical practice guidelines for pressure ulcers are gaining prominence in Australia in an endeavour to reduce pressure ulcer prevalence, morbidity, cost and litigation. Institutional risk management strategies for pressure ulcers are believed to contribute to improved patient outcomes. Both of these measures need to be evaluated to ensure that they do meet the needs of the consumer.
This paper briefly highlights the history of pressure ulcers, the extent of the problem in Australia and the need for improvement through education, risk management strategies and adoption of Australian clinical practice guidelines for their prevention.

Abstract
The aim of this article is to place the international array of clinical practice guidelines concerning the prediction and prevention of pressure ulcers into a patient and practitioner context. This requires a brief overview of the current major international pressure ulcer prevention guidelines, outlining the desirable attributes of these guidelines and discussing the weighing of research evidence used to develop guideline recommendations.
Further objectives include indicating the evidence for assessing guideline impact, guidelines in context – the benefits to patients and practitioners of clinical practice guidelines versus the role of litigation – and emphasising the role of education within a patient/practitioner environment.