Product Education

By Emily Greenstein, APRN, CNP, CWON, FACCWS

Last month I introduced you to the concept of how being a wound care professional is often a lot like being a detective. This blog post is going to start our “cases.” I decided, in keeping with the theme, to write it up similar to what you would see in a court document.

By the WoundSource Editors

Silver nitrate is a natural, inorganic chemical compound with antimicrobial properties that has been used in medical applications since the 13th century. It is used as a cauterizing agent and is available as a solution or an applicator stick. The applicator sticks, known as silver nitrate sticks or caustic pencils, contain silver nitrate and potassium nitrate. There are certain brands of silver nitrate sticks that can be bent or shaped to increase ease of access within a target area. The silver nitrate stick is activated by contact with moisture. When applied to wounds, silver nitrate sticks deliver free silver ions to the tissue that form an eschar as they bind to tissue and obstruct vessels.

By Margaret Heale, RN, MSc, CWOCN

As patient-driven groupings model hits home care, patients or their caregivers will be expected to do more of the care. Subsequently, nursing staff are expected to provide more education, making "how to" information more crucial than ever.

By Janet Wolfson, PT, CLWT, CWS, CLT-LANA

Reflecting back on "In the Trenches With Lymphedema," WoundSource's June Practice Accelerator webinar, many people sent in questions. I have addressed some regarding compression use here.

By Hy-Tape International

According to a published study, the global prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is 6.3%, with male patients and older adults being the most likely to be affected.¹ This prevalence, coupled with the potential for complications and the severe effect on quality of life the condition can have, makes DFUs one of today's most serious health care issues. To reduce the effects of DFUs and improve outcomes for patients, it is critical that health care professionals rapidly identify DFUs and implement best practice dressing and management strategies.

By James McGuire, DPM, PT, LPed, FAPWHc

In my recent WoundSource webinar, I discussed the topic of debridement strategies and chronic wounds. The webinar is still available for viewing on WoundSource.com. Wound debridement is the foundation for healing in chronic wounds. Excessive debridement is a detriment to healing, whereas proper removal of accumulated non-viable tissue or foreign material from the wound bed maintains a healthy progressive healing trajectory and avoids wound chronicity.

By Hy-Tape International, Inc.

Secondary dressings can be an effective tool to protect the primary dressing or provide additional functionality beyond the primary dressing. Hydrocolloid or foam dressings can provide protection for the wound area and manage excess exudate. However, they can also significantly add to the cost and time of wound care. This makes it critical that health care professionals implement effective practices to maximize the wear time of secondary dressings.

by Ivy Razmus, RN, PhD, CWOCN

As we continually focus on improving our skills in prevention and management of skin and wounds, we are beginning to understand that one size does not fit all; or, in other words, prevention and management in wound care are dependent on the size and age of the patient. In wound care, one method of care does not fit all types of patients. Although those clinicians who work with younger populations know this to be true based on our personal experience, this can be a problem if the purchasing of products for younger patients' skin and wound care is decided without the input of the providers and caregivers who care for them.

by Rafael Mazuz

Computer vision, machine learning, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) integrations, clinical decision support -- a new class of digital health technologies are transforming the practice of advanced wound care. In this article, we’ll explore the significance of this relatively new yet crucial dimension for wound care stakeholders by focusing on four major categories:

by the WoundSource Editors