By the end of the course, candidates will be able to:
- Discuss legal and professional responsibilities associated with performing wound care with local and national guidance
- Follow procedures for gaining consent and correct documentation
- Describe relevant anatomy
- Identify the stages of wound healing and the range of different factors that can affect this both positively and adversely
- Name the different aspects of wound assessment
- List aspects of holistic care that will promote effective wound healing
- Identify and discuss the range of available dressings and treatments and their appropriateness for use
- Discuss practical aspects in performing wound care including correct procedures for minimising infection
Practitioners will be assessed by –
- Ability to answer questions during course
- Discussion following feedback from activities
- Completing a post course knowledge assessment
Course content
- Legal and professional considerations and responsibilities
- Consent for care and treatment
- Anatomy and physiology of the skin
- Acute wounds
- Chronic wounds
- Phases of wound healing
- Principles of wound assessment
- Holistic considerations
- Wound bed management
- Exudate
- Infection
- Taking a wound swab
- Changing dressings
- Wound cleansing principles
- Goals of treatment at different stages of healing
- Management of different tissue types
- Managing odour
- Causes of delayed healing
- Management of pain
- Effects of medications on wound healing
- Nutritional needs to aid healing process
- Different types of dressings and treatments
- Principles of Nursing Practice
- Knowledge assessment