Acute Wounds

Thanoon Thabet, BSN, RN, WTA-C

Chronic wound pain is a complicated condition with both physical and psychological aspects. The magnitude of pain is usually contingent on the depth of the wound and whether an infection is present. Nevertheless, providing adequate pain relief can be challenging due to wound management’s multi-faceted nature. It is essential to understand the physiology of pain, the types, its impact on healing, assessment techniques, and various wound care approaches to develop a comprehensive care plan for patients with wounds.

By Holly M. Hovan MSN, APRN, GERO-BC, CWOCN-AP

Chronic wounds impact more than 8 million Americans in a multitude of ways ranging from affecting quality of life along to creating a significant economic burden, with the estimated cost of care in the United States currently at 30 billion dollars. As technology and medicine continue to advance, our aging population continues to grow, and those impacted by chronic wounds are likely to increase. This blog will take it back to the basics—using our senses to guide wound assessment and management—while incorporating technology/telemedicine and wound photography to guide treatment and track progress.

Holly Hovan MSN, GERO-BC, APRN, CWOCN-AP

Pain has been a prevalent health care challenge in the United States for some time, with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing that approximately 16% of men and 20% of women experience pain on most days or even every day.

By Roshni Patel, BSc (Hons), MCOptom

The cornea, as we know it, is a complex and fast-healing tissue that provides protection from infectious and non-infectious defects. However, it can still be injured through environmental impacts or surgical procedures, such as cataract operations or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), as well as traumatic injuries. Although most corneal wounds repair themselves without further drawbacks, possible complications may occur and delay the healing process. This blog outlines the natural healing process of corneal wounds and post-surgical wound healing, as well as the obstacles to healing that may occur in diabetic patients.

By the WoundSource Editors

Scrotum injuries can be caused by one or more mechanisms of injury such as trauma, pressure, friction, and moisture. Minor injuries frequently result in pain to the afflicted area, swelling, or ecchymosis.

By the WoundSource Editors

Ulcers in the lower extremities are more common in patients older than 65. Ulcerative wound types include venous, arterial, diabetic neuropathic, and pressure. To identify ulcer types, these wounds should be examined thoroughly for their distinct characteristics such as location and shape, as well as in conjunction with other patient information, to ensure an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

By the WoundSource Editors

Edema is the abnormalaccumulation of excess fluid within tissue. The swelling associated with edema can be localized to a small area following an acute injury, it can affect an entire limb or a specific organ, or it can be generalized throughout the entire body. Edema is not a disease, but rather a symptom that can indicate general health status, side effects of medications, or serious underlying medical conditions.

By Emily Greenstein, APRN, CNP, CWON, FACCWS

It’s that time of year again. For the leaves to change, all the ghouls and goblins to come alive, and for a sudden influx of sugar! After the success of last year's blog post "How Being a Wound Specialist Can Help You Survive a Zombie Apocalypse," I knew I had to do another Halloween-themed post. In my practice I have seen an influx of animals bites this summer, which got me to thinking, what if you were bitten by a werewolf or vampire?

by Kelly Byrd-Jenkins, CWS

It may come as no surprise to some, but pressure ulcers are among the only hospital-acquired conditions that have been on the rise in recent years. Other hospital-acquired conditions—such as adverse drug events, falls, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections—have decreased, according to a statement by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in January of this year.

By Kathy Gallagher, DNP, APRN-FNP, CMC, UMC, BC, WCC, CWS, FACCWS

In 2010, Christiana Care Health System, a 1,000 bed Level I trauma center in Wilmington, Delaware, introduced an acute surgical wound service (ASWS) integration plan in with a single dedicated nurse practitioner, trauma surgeon, and administrative leader. Subsequently, trauma patients with complex wounds experienced decreased morbidity and length of stay. Closely aligned with these numbers, their patient days of negative pressure wound therapy fell from 11+ days in 2010 to 8.2 days in 2018, representing one of the lowest in the nation.