Author:

Joyce Black

Joyce Black is Professor, College of Nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, US

      Despite the frequency of pressure ulcers on the heels, little is written about them. While these ten top tips will not fill the literature gap, it may help you with this common problem.

      A case series was conducted to demonstrate the safe and effective use of a 14-day Single Use Negative Pressure Wound Therapy System (sNPWT) in the management of static, ‘hard-to-heal’ wounds. When used in conjunction with optimal wound care strategies, including holistic assessment and comprehensive patient empowerment and education, the use of sNPWT resulted in the closure of all chronic wounds in this case series despite complex histories. This case series demonstrates enhanced results when a proactive, holistic and patient-centred approach is adopted in conjunction with sNPWT.

Authors:

Hayley Ryan and Joanne Handsaker

Hayley Ryan is Director of Wounds Rescue/Wounds Australia Board Director & Chair, Wound Clinical Nurse Consultant (WCNC);

Joanne Handsaker is Clinical Strategy –Global Clinical Strategy Specialist, Smith and Nephew

Practitioners have advocated for new ways of working, such as shared wound care, to address the challenges in chronic wound management. Shared wound care practiced alongside the use of long-wear advanced foam dressings has the potential to optimise community wound care*; releasing time for nurses and healthcare systems, and empowering patients. Many practitioners already use elements of shared wound caren with patients but require support to implement the approaches more formally and reduce practice variation. This article will discuss shared wound care from an individual practitioner’s perspective, addressing how shared wound care is beneficial, accessible, clinically effective, scalable, and implementable, and facilitate discussions about standardising implementation within their health system.

*Wear time of up to 5 to 7 days (Simon and Bielby, 2014; Joy et al, 2015; Smith+Nephew, 2016b; 2016a)

Authors:

Amanda Loney, Certified Nurse Specialised, Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOCC(C)), Bayshore Home Care Solutions Hamilton, Ontario, Canada;

Catherine Milne, Advanced Practice WOC Nurse in Bristol, Connecticut, Clinical Instructor Yale School of Nursing, Connecticut, United States

Authors:

Aldo Conti, Massimiliano Brilli, Edgardo Norgini, Stefano Falini, Laura De Fina, Genni Spargi and Stefano Gasperini

Stagnant wounds are wounds that don’t progress in the healing process,despite adequate therapy. Blue light photobiomodulation is a novel therapy that has been demonstrated to positively influence wound healing by stimulating the resolution of the inflammatory response and promoting tissue repair. This case series evaluated the effect of photobiomodulation on five patients with silent wounds of various aetiologies who were treated with blue light for four weeks. At the end of the observation period, five patients had a significant reduction in lesion area, an improvement in wound bed score and a reduction in pain.

Aldo Conti is a Wound Care Nurse Expert, Wound Care Outpatient Clinic, Hyperbaric Medicine Service, UOC Anaesthesia and Reanimation;

Massimiliano Brilli is a Wound Care Nurse Expert, Wound Care Outpatient Clinic, Hyperbaric Medicine Service, UOC Anaesthesia and Reanimation;

Edgardo Norgini is a Wound Care Nurse Expert, Wound Care Outpatient Clinic, Hyperbaric Medicine Service, UOC Anaesthesia and Reanimation;

Stefano Falini is Head of Hyperbaric Medicine Service, UOC Anaesthesia and Reanimation;

Laura De Fina, Hyperbaric Medicine Service, UOC Anaesthesia and Reanimation;

Genni Spargi is Director UOC Anaesthesia and Reanimation; all at Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy;

Stefano Gasperini is a Medical Advisor, Pisa, Italy