Empowerment training for disabled care center staff held in Üsküdar

Üsküdar University hosted an important training that will contribute to the professional development of disabled care center staff. Within the scope of the activities of the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services Education Unit, the third module of the “Staff Empowerment Training Program” addressed wound care, pressure ulcers, patient safety, and current care practices by expert academicians. The training shared up-to-date information on the prevention of pressure ulcers and correct wound care practices, while also evaluating applications aimed at enhancing patient safety.

Istanbul Deputy Provincial Director of Family and Social Services Cem Çaylak, Instructor Büşra Ecem Kumru, Head of Home Patient Care Program at Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services (SHMYO), Instructor Keziban Turan and Instructor Ayfer Kaya of the First and Emergency Aid Program, and numerous healthcare personnel attended the training program held at Üsküdar University Çarşı Campus, Emirnebi 2 Hall.

In the opening speeches, it was stated that the training program was implemented to enable personnel to provide quality care services based on patient safety, to effectively manage recording and monitoring processes, and to implement drug and risk management practices in line with current knowledge.
“Wound and Pressure Ulcer Care” was addressed

In the first session of the four-session program, the topic of “Wound and Pressure Ulcer Care” was covered.

Speaking at the program, Instructor Büşra Ecem Kumru, Head of Home Patient Care Program at SHMYO, explained the basic principles of wound care and provided comprehensive information on pressure ulcers to the participants. Kumru emphasized that pressure ulcers should not be considered merely a skin problem, stating, “Pain is observed in the patient. Sepsis can occur, meaning infections can be observed. Prolonged hospital stays, increased costs, and a decrease in patients' quality of life occur.”

Instructor Büşra Ecem Kumru: “The cost of 10 pressure ulcers is equivalent to 5 heart bypass surgeries”

Kumru, evaluating the global prevalence of pressure ulcers and the economic burden they place on the healthcare system, also drew attention to the risks that incorrect positioning can create.

Kumru; “Approximately 2.5 million patients worldwide develop pressure ulcers each year. This translates to an economic loss of approximately 11.5 billion dollars. The cost of healing ten pressure ulcers is equivalent to the cost of 9 pacemakers, 5 knee prostheses, 6 hip prostheses, and 5 heart bypass surgeries. This is a considerably large figure. When pulling the patient, the skin does not move with the skeleton. Due to the effect of gravity, as it slides downwards, a shearing effect occurs between the sheet and the bed. This causes exfoliation in the epidermis. Therefore, extreme caution must be exercised when positioning and repositioning the patient.” she stated.

Cem Çaylak: “We attach importance to updating information”

Speaking at the closing of the program, Cem Çaylak, Deputy Provincial Director of Istanbul Family and Social Services, stated that the training programs would continue and drew attention to the importance of continuously updating the professional knowledge of healthcare personnel.

Çaylak; “You work as healthcare professionals in private care centers. We attach importance to these trainings for the periodic updating of your knowledge and refreshing the information in your memory. We plan to continue these programs without interruption,” he said.

Certificates of appreciation were presented

The program concluded with Deputy Provincial Director Cem Çaylak presenting certificates of appreciation to Instructor Büşra Ecem Kumru, Instructor Keziban Turan of the First and Emergency Aid Program, and Instructor Ayfer Kaya of the First and Emergency Aid Program.