The SACS™ Instrument
A clinical instrument for objective assessment and classification of peristomal skin lesions
Looking for ways to make more informed patient care decisions and increase your credibility at the same time? By providing a simple three-step system for classifying peristomal skin lesions across the continuum of care, all members of your patient's health care team will be speaking the universal language of this new, content validated instrument. And, you can be the team member who is instrumental in implementing this process. By learning how to use the SACS™ instrument, you will be able to identify, track and monitor progress of peristomal skin lesions. You can be the one responsible for teaching the team how to effectively communicate to one another to improve the ostomy patients' outcomes.
- Why was the SACS™ Instrument created?
- What does SACS™ stand for?
- Is the SACS™ Instrument evidence based?
- What clinical benefits does the SACS™ Instrument provide?
Why was the SACS™ Instrument created?
- A systematic literature review revealed that no universal system existed to objectively classify peristomal lesions by2:
- Lesion type (level of depth of skin involvement)
- Location in relation to the stoma
- Absence of operational definitions of peristomal lesion types posed particular problems for healthcare professionals3
- The SACSTM Instrument was developed to help establish a standard language for the assessment and classification of peristomal lesions
What does SACS™ stand for?
- SACSTM stands for Studio Alterazioni Cutanee Stomali (or Study
on Peristomal Skin Lesions)
- SACSTM Instrument was developed in Italy by ET nurses and surgeons
Is the SACS™ Instrument evidence based?
- The SACSTM Instrument was developed and accepted by a consensus of healthcare professionals in Italy
- SACSTM was subsequently content validated in both Italy and the U.S.1,3
- SACSTM received a content validity index of 0.94 out of 1.0 in the
U.S.1
What clinical benefits does the SACS™ Instrument provide?
- Operational definitions for consistent interpretation of peristomal skin lesions
- A content-validated measurement instrument to classify lesion type and location (CVI=0.94 out of 1.0)1
- An objective classification system to document incidence of peristomal skin complications
References [+]
- Beitz J, et al. Content validation of a standardized algorithm for ostomy care. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2010 in press.
- Boslo G, Pisani F, Lucibello L, et al. A proposal for classifying peristomal skin disorders: results of a multicenter observational study. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2007;53(9):38-43
- Salvadalena G. Incidence of complications of the stoma and peristomal skin among individuals with colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy: A systematic review. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse. 2008; 35(6): (596-607).
- Review of the evidence for WOC nursing practice 2007-2008. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2009; 36(4S)(suppl):S17-S18.