A local Canadian lens on the burden of wounds

The 5th Skin Integrity & Infection Prevention conference in Kamloops brings together experts in skin, wounds, spinal cord injuries and biofilms. The burden of damage to the body’s largest organ remains a focus for the whole health ecosystem.

Here we explore the two-day conference that examines the unique challenges to Canada of the inter-cultural and rural context in maintaining the integrity of the skin. This Kamloops conference is supported by Thompson Rivers University, Rick Hansen Institute, Journal of Wound Care, University of Huddersfield and 3M.

Ideas to Action

“On behalf of the School of Nursing at TRU, I am thrilled to welcome conference attendees. Spring is a wonderful time of year to visit our beautiful campus here in Kamloops, B.C. Our local planning team, in collaboration with the University of Huddersfield and the Journal of Wound Care, has brought together a fantastic line up of experts whose presentations will appeal to a broad interdisciplinary audience,” comments conference co-chair, Dr. Nicola Waters. “We are looking forward to an exciting two days of networking, meeting our sponsors and learning lots about challenges and solutions in managing skin integrity and preventing infections.”

EXPLORE THE AGENDA FOR SKIN INTEGRITY CANADA CONFERENCE

5th Skin Integrity & Infection Prevention conference, Kamloops, Thompson Rivers University, wound care, Canada

Canadian inter-cultural and rural context

We can’t think of Canada as a homogeneous entity. What happens in rural communities of Western Canada is vastly different to Toronto. Dr. Laurie Parsons, Medical Director at Alberta Health Services and Dr. Adalberto Loyola-Sanchez, Assistant Professor at the Depratment of Medicine, University of Alberta will share the importance of knowledge exchange and community participation.

The conference includes a Wound Care at the Frontlines workshop. This will provide tips and tools for adapting wound management to a variety of clinical sessions.

Skin Integrity

One of the focal themes of the conference is on Skin Integrity. Dr. Barbara Bates Jensen from the University of California will share how her BWAT has evolved into the digital age of monitoring. Dr. Kim Leblanc will share work from the International Skin Integrity Advisory Panel (ISTAP) on developing and implementing best practice in skin tears.

Infection Prevention

Saturday’s speakers will look at the Infection & Inflammation component of the Wound Bed Preparation concept TIME paradigm. Our comprehension of wound etiology and healing has increasing been at a cellular level.

Dr. Vincent Maida is consultant in Palliative Medicine & Wound Management at the William Osler Health System in Toronto. Dr. Maida speaks on Topical cannabis-based medicines: a new epigenetic paradigm for wound management.

Dr. Aziz Ghahary is Professor and Director of the Burn and Wound Healing Research Group at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Ghahary speaks on A multi-functional nutritional liquid scaffold for treatment of non-healing wounds: results of a human pilot study.

Spinal Cord Injuries

The Rick Hansen Institute is a significant voice for those with spinal cord injuries. They are sponsoring several of the expert speakers. RHI is a Vancouver-based charitable organization that funds research into spinal cord injuries including pressure ulcer prevention and management.

Penny Clarke Richardson, Director of Strategic Implementation, remarks “In support of our commitment to drive innovation in spinal cord injury and care, the Rick Hansen Institute is thrilled to sponsor the International Skin Integrity and Infection Prevention Conference. We recognize the importance of wound care in addressing Canada’s costliest, yet preventable medical error in the health care system: pressure injuries. As many as 95% of adults with spinal cord injury will experience at least one pressure injury in their lifetime.”
“We look forward to the successful outcomes of this conference that can help not only the population we serve but anyone who suffers from this debilitating complication.”

Tyler Tingle from Accessible Okanagan will share the experience of spinal cord injury from a patient perspective.

“Thompson Rivers University welcomes all delegates and presenters to the fifth International Skin Integrity and Infection Prevention Conference. We hope everyone explores our beautiful campus and city.”

The conference balances how to turn international wound care ideas to local action to improve the health of people in British Columbia and Alberta. Follow the hashtag #skinintegritycanada on Twitter.

Featured image courtesy of Thompson Rivers University with permission.