Wound Care and Management

To provide underpinning knowledge associated with best practice for performing safe and effective wound care in order to promote healing and to raise awareness of the legal implications of the NMC and organisational policies regarding wound care. To promote the safety and well-being of all patients who require wound care.

DESCRIPTION

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