Upcoming Webinars

Wound infection and biofilm continue to emerge as causes of wound chronicity. Innovative technologies that break down the complex microbial communities inherent in these wounds are important considerations in the treatment plan. Advanced antimicrobial wound dressings play key roles in managing wound exudate and optimizing the wound healing environment.

Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) are a challenge for acute and post-acute care environments and are listed as a hospital-acquired condition by CMS. While other hospital-acquired conditions have seen a decrease in prevalence over the past decade, HAPUs are the only one that have not had a decrease in their prevalence.

The prevention of pressure injuries is a great concern in health care today. Many clinicians believe that pressure injury development is not the sole responsibility of the nursing staff, but the entire health care system. Therefore, the implementation of a comprehensive pressure injury prevention program requires an interdisciplinary approach to care that can save patients from unnecessary harm and death.

In 2020, outpatient wound clinics must have an antibiotic stewardship program in place. Preventing infection in surgical wounds is vital for positive patient outcomes; however, the diagnosis of moderate to heavy bacterial load in surgical wounds is problematic: clinical signs and symptoms and cultures can be inaccurate.

Pressure injuries are a growing problem. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), rates of pressure injuries are increasing faster than all other hospital-acquired conditions. To prevent pressure injuries, the standard of care is to reposition at risk patients every two hours.

In preventing the occurrence of pressure injuries, it is important to consider all entry points into a hospital in which a patient receives care. Although patients are occasionally admitted directly to a unit, the majority enter through the emergency department.

The number of people with diabetes mellitus (DM) has increased dramatically over the years. DM is a serious, life-long condition that is the seventh leading cause of death in North America. The presence of a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) increases the likelihood of mortality over a five to 10-year period.

In wound healing, selecting the correct wound dressing can make all the difference for patient outcomes. An ideal wound dressing will manage moisture while maintaining a moist wound environment, prevent infection, conform to the wound bed and minimize pain during dressing changes.

Complex wounds create a challenge to both the health care team and the patients and families that struggle with them. The amount of care required to overcome the complicating factors of these wounds creates a large economic and labor burden on the health care system.

Patients with wounds present to multiple health care providers across a multitude of practice settings. It is vital for all health care providers who encounter wounds to have an understanding of wound bed preparation. This program will describe work that has been done to expand on existing models of wound bed preparation using a step-wise method in a practical approach to incorporate into day-to-day practice.

Working with lymphedema patients, indeed patients with any type of edema, can be very challenging for clinicians because of the diagnosis and population, as well as the need for lymphology training across the disciplines involved in the care plan. Treating lymphedema and differentiating it from congestive heart failure, venous stasis, and renal failure requires a multidisciplinary approach.

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.

Nutrition is one of the main principles of wound healing. Without adequate nutrition, wound healing can become delayed or stalled. A multidisciplinary team, which includes Registered Dietitian consultations, is vital to developing a wound healing plan of care.

This webinar will discuss the issues that can lead to seemingly non-healing and chronic wounds, including the underlying factors, biofilm development and wound infection, and how to overcome barriers to wound healing through comprehensive assessment and effective treatment interventions.

Recent research indicates that medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs) are thought to be present in up to 30% of all hospital-acquired pressure injuries. In this program, the presenter will discuss the challenges in early recognition of MDRPI, as well as share a step-by-step intervention bundle program in the prevention of MDRPIs that can be applied in your institution or facility.

Documenting the healing trajectory of chronic wounds is a core component of best practice wound care. The traditional method using ruler measurement and paper documentation is laborious, time consuming, and not always accurate, given its reliance on individual interpretation. Emerging technologies have brought digital wound documentation into the clinical arena.

Skin care is an essential component of patient care. Managing and preventing skin complications in at-risk populations by addressing risk factors and promoting optimal skin health will support patient quality of life and outcomes.

Agents traditionally used in would bed preparation have varying degrees of effectiveness, and some are actually cytotoxic. Newer agents, such as hydrochlorous acid, combine efficacy and safety and have been shown to enhance wound healing.

Venous disease is the most common cause of lower extremity ulceration, occurring in 3% of those above the age of 80. The goal of this program is to delineate management of venous ulcers based on research and summarize guidelines proposed by different organizations in a practical and clinically applicable manner.

Skin can quickly become damaged over the course of normal wound dressing changes as harsh adhesive is repeatedly applied and removed. Hy-Tape®, the Original Pink Tape is a gentle, yet durable zinc-oxide based adhesive tape that can be used for the securement of wound dressings, ostomy appliances, and other wound care devices.