The WoundSource White Paper Center was created to further our mission of improving the quality and accessibility of wound care education. Find relevant white papers about the latest research, product technologies and treatment approaches from leading organizations and industry thought-leaders.
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Complex wounds are acute or, more commonly, chronic wounds that are difficult to heal and cannot be closed using simple dressings.
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Sponsored by Convatec
The Wound Hygiene protocol is a 4-step approach to preparing the wound for healing and sustaining a healthy healing environment, with a focus on biofilm removal.
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Sponsored by Convatec
Wound care professionals and their patients know just how frustrating and debilitating chronic and hard-to-heal wounds can be.
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Sponsored by Cardinal Health
This e-book will address the following objectives: describe the impact of biofilm on wounds, discuss the components of a biofilm-based wound care regimen, describe strategies for specific antimicrobials in a biofilm-based wound care regimen, and d
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Developed by the Post-Acute Wound & Skin Integrity Council (PAWSIC)
This paper explores the impact of COVID-19 on post-acute care in the United States.
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Determining wound size during the initial assessment and at intervals throughout the healing trajectory can show whether a product or protocol is working effectively or, when healing stalls, whether it is time to reconsider the care plan.
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Workflow serves as the common denominator connecting all elements of a wound management clinic.
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Pressure injuries (PIs) result from pressure- or shear-induced localized damage to the skin and underlying soft tissue, usually over a bony prominence.
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Antimicrobial resistance is a growing public health threat, and mortality related to antibiotic-resistant infections is projected to surge worldwide by 2050.
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Chronic wounds may have various etiologies, exist in multiple anatomic locations, and have numerous contributing factors.
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The wound care continuum is a multifaceted and dynamic framework that helps to ensure best patient outcomes throughout the process of wound healing.
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Wound bed preparation is a patient-centered and holistic approach that structures effective wound management through evidence-based practice.
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Certain populations, such as older adults, pediatric patients, immunocompromised patients, and patients with low socioeconomic status, are at higher risk of wound complications and poor healing because of various factors specific to these populati
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Complex wounds include lower limb diabetic or venous ulcers, pressure injuries, open traumatic wounds, and surgical wounds.
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In 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it would no longer reimburse facilities for costs associated with preventable errors, termed Never Events.
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Alternatives to antibiotics are increasingly used in wound care to stem the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Silver, a common alternative to topical antibiotics, has a long history of use with little evidence of harmful side effects.
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Patients with darker skin tones are more likely to develop full-thickness pressure injuries (PIs), at least partly because of difficulties in detecting wounds early.
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Successful healing of chronic wounds begins with accurate identification of the etiology because management varies by wound type.
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Hospital stays are becoming shorter and shorter, but patient acuity levels are higher and higher. Combine that with existing nursing shortages, and it is easy to understand the increased risks of surgical site complications.
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Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are common lower extremity wounds that are challenging to treat and that negatively affect patients' quality of life.
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Maintaining optimal wound bed conditions requires inflammation control and infection prevention. This includes preventing the formation of biofilms, which can delay healing.
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For the last decade or so, the best practice approach to wound care has been based on the TIME (tissue, inflammation or infection, moisture, and edge) framework.
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An evidence-based approach to a successful skin care regimen must be built on a thorough understanding of skin anatomy and physiology.
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Skin changes at life’s end (SCALE) reflect failure of the largest organ in the body—the skin. In a patient with SCALE, management goals are to provide comfort, relieve pain, and optimize wound care.
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This guide provides an overview of interventions to bring wound healing back on track.
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Inappropriate or unnecessary antibiotic use contributes to the global problem of antimicrobial resistance.
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This useful guide to the treatment of complex, chronic wounds first discusses risk factors that predispose patients to the development of these wounds, as well as comorbidities and other conditions that complicate healing.
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With a growing population of Americans aged 65 or older, it is important to know which skin changes are normal and which are abnormal in aging skin and what to do in terms of treatment, education, and prevention of skin tears and other skin injuri
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Wound documentation methods such as digital measuring tools, mobile tools, and customized electronic medical records can save time and enhance the quality of care.
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Wound care professionals whose patients have hard-to-heal wounds work to prevent or treat biofilm formation and infection, for optimal clinical outcomes.
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This white paper describes how to build an effective pressure injury prevention program, from skin and risk assessments to care planning and finally program implementation.
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Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are major causes of mortality and morbidity and impose a significant burden on patients, health care professionals, and health care systems.
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Lower extremity ulcers, whether venous, arterial, or diabetic ulcers, impose a heavy burden on patients and the health care system.
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Among the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic is the need for safe and successful wound care at a time when physical distancing is mandated or recommended to contain the spread of coronavirus.
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Debridement is the foundational component of wound bed preparation.
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Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a common complication of diabetes, with a high lifetime global incidence.
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When healing is disrupted or delayed, a chronic non-healing wound can develop, with a significant impact on quality of life and a high financial cost.
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Venous insufficiency results from venous hypertension, which, left untreated, can lead to skin breakdown and the formation of venous leg ulcers (VLUs).
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Meticulous documentation of wound care, from initial assessment to ongoing treatment to wound healing progress, is an essential component of the standard of care in patients with wounds.
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Wound infections are common complications of healing, and wound care professionals strive to prevent, identify, and manage these infections.
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In skilled nursing facilities, the top targets for litigation are pressure ulcers, malnutrition, and dehydration.