Don’t give me evidence, give me reality!

Abstract

This week I have been wondering what title I would give to a publication on the current attempt to commit tissue viability to an early grave? You might have heard of the book, The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat (1985), which was written by the famous neuropsychiatrist Oliver Sacks? Some people also assume that a dressing is a hat. This illustrates at least two things: first, that it is no more than a covering. Hence, if you want to treat a wound, all it takes is to put a hat on it! Second, and more importantly, the man Sacks refers to is cognitively impaired, and has at least an organic excuse for his mistaken beliefs. But, decisions are being made by people such as procurement officers, pharmacy managers and medical staff who, in many cases, have no idea what various dressings look like, what their properties are and when they might be clinically appropriate. However, despite the influential position of members of formulary committees, they are predominantly shielded from the reality of trying to cope with a patient’s wound.