Nearly all clinicians know exercise is good for our physical and mental health. But incorporating it into our busy lives can be a challenge. The only types of exercise some clinicians have time for are working long shifts, juggling life’s demands, balancing the books, jumping on the bandwagon, climbing the ladder of success, and skipping meals.
Clinicians are in a unique position to help patients change their behavior to improve their health. Ironically, the first behavior clinicians need to change is to work toward improving our own exercise habits. (more…)
Support surfaces are consistently recommended for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. So patients can derive optimal benefits from support surfaces, clinicians must understand how to use them effectively. This article answers several questions about these useful tools. (more…)
Diabetic foot ulcers stem from multiple factors, including peripheral neuropathy, high plantar pressures, decreased vascularity, and impaired wound healing. Contributing significantly to morbidity, they may cause limb loss and death. (See Foot ulcers and diabetes.)
Initially, hydrocolloid dressings were developed to function as part of the stomal flange. Based on their success in protecting peristomal skin, they were introduced gradually into other areas of wound care. They contain wafers of gel-forming polymers, such as gelatin, pectin, and cellulose agents, within a flexible water-resistant outer layer. The wafers absorb wound exudate, forming a gel and creating a moist healing environment. (more…)
Assessment and care planning for wound healing should include a thorough review of the individual’s current medications to identify those that may affect healing outcomes. Clinicians must then weigh the risks and benefits of continuing or discontinuing the medications. In some cases, the risk of discontinuing the medication outweighs the importance of wound healing, so the goal of the care plan should be adjusted to “maintain a wound” instead of “healing.” (more…)
We all lead busy lives, with demanding work schedules and home responsibilities that can thwart our best intentions. Although we know it’s our responsibility to stay abreast of changes in our field, we may feel overwhelmed when we try to make that happen.
Keeping clinicians up-to-date on clinical knowledge is one of the main goals of the Wild On Wounds (WOW) conference, held each September in Las Vegas. Each year, I present the opening session of this conference, called “The Buzz Report,” which focuses on the latest-breaking wound care news—what’s new, what’s now, what’s coming up. I discuss innovative new products, practice guidelines, resources, and tools from the last 12 months in skin, wound, and ostomy management. This article highlights the hottest topics from my 2015 Buzz Report. (more…)
Immobility affects all our body systems, including our skin. According to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, many contributing factors are associated with the formation of a pressure ulcer, with impaired mobility leading the list.
So what can clinicians do to prevent harm caused by immobility? One often-overlooked strategy is a restorative nursing program. (See About restorative nursing.)
Moving up the time line
Most patients who score poorly for mobility and/or activity impairments on the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk are referred to physical therapy, but too often a restorative nursing program (more…)
Mild compression diabetic socks safe and effective for lower extremity edema
Diabetic socks with mild compression can reduce lower extremity edema in patients with diabetes without adversely affecting arterial circulation, according to a randomized control trial presented at the American Diabetes Association 75th Scientific Sessions Conference. (more…)
SILVERSTREAM: Ionic Silver wound cleanser with menthol
ANIOSGEL 85 NPC: HYDROALCOHOLIC ANTISEPTIC GEL for skin and hands BLEACH WIPES 1: 10/1:50 : ready-to-use bleach wipes for surfaces disinfection
Angelini Pharma Inc. has one of the highest quality and most comprehensive product ranges in the chronic wound, infection control and dialysis healthcare market. Our mission is to meet our customers’ day-to-day needs with effective, reliable and high-quality products that are widely available and accessible. This goal is expressed through a clear vision: to be the physician’s first choice of product for their patients’ needs and well being. As a result of our specialists’ expertise and intensive applied research activities, efficient and closely coordinated manufacturing and distribution chain and marketing experience, Angelini Pharma Inc. has achieved excellence in our core business areas including wound care.
For more information, visit Angelini-US.com for more information.
Hy-Tape International
Hy-Tape International produces waterproof, zinc oxide-based adhesive tape. Patches and strips. Hy-Tape delivers its unique qualities and benefits in both critical care and everyday situations, when it counts most.
For more information, call 1.800.248.0101 or visit http://hytape.com.
Amerx Health Care, Inc.
Amerx Health Care is proud to introduce Helix3 Bioactive Collagen Matrix (CM) and Particle (CP) dressings containing 100% Type 1 native bovine collagen for effective wound management in all wound phases.
The Amerx product line also includes top rated AmeriGel Hydrogel Wound Dressing with Oakin® for sustained moist healing of dry wounds.
For more information, visit www.amerxHC.com or call 800-448-9599.
Coloplast
Coloplast develops products and services that make life easier for people with very personal and private medical conditions. Our business includes ostomy care, urology, continence care, and wound & skin care.
For more information, visit www.coloplast.us or call 800-788-0293
DM Systems Inc.
Combining unmatched clinical evidence with the comfort, convenience and variety that today’s healthcare marketplace demands, Heelift offloading boots prevent and treat heel pressure ulcers like no other. Joining the Heelift lineup this year is the new Heelift Glide Ultra and Heelift AFO Ultra, which have a new Ultra-Grip inner lining that provides our most comfortable boot ever while maintaining clinical superiority. Clinician Validated – Cost Performer.
Visit our Resource Center at http://www.heelift.com/heeliftresources.html for videos, sample protocols, clinical articles and more showing how Heelift Boots can lower your prevalence.
As wound care clinicians, we are trained—and expected—to help heal wounds in patients of any age and to achieve positive outcomes. Basic wound-healing principles apply to all patients, whatever their age or size. The specific anatomy and physiology of vulnerable pediatric patients, however, requires detailed wound care. Unfortunately, little evidence-based research exists to support and direct the care of pediatric patients with pressure ulcers. This article describes efforts to reduce pressure ulcers in pediatric patients at Driscoll Children’s Hospital (DCH) in Corpus Christi, Texas.
By Erin Fazzari, MPT, CLT, CWS, DWC Have you seen legs like these in your practice? These legs show lymphedema and chronic wounds before treatment (left image) and after treatment (right image) with complex decongestive therapy (CDT)—the gold standard of lymphedema care. The patient benefited from multidisciplinary collaboration between wound care and lymphedema therapists.
By Todd Zortman, RN, WCC, and James Malec, PhD Pressure ulcers are a chronic healthcare burden for both patients and providers. Over 2.5 million patients in the United States are affected annually by pressure ulcers, with nearly 60,000 of those cases directly resulting in death. From a provider’s perspective, the cost of individual care ranges anywhere from $500 to $70,000…
By Janet Wolfson, PT, CWS, CLT-LANA After landing my dream job as the wound care coordinator at an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), I found myself trying to determine how much healing could be achieved for our more challenging patients, given the constraints of reimbursement and what can be done in the typical 10 to 14 days of a patient stay.…
Leg revascularization fails to improve outcomes in nursing home patients Lower-extremity revascularization often fails to improve outcomes in nursing home patients, according to an article in JAMA Internal Medicine. “Functional outcomes after lower extremity revascularization in nursing home residents: A national cohort study” found that few patients are alive and ambulatory a year after surgery, and those who are alive…
Check out these resources for your practice. Be a nutrition champion One in three patients enters a hospital malnourished. Fight malnutrition by viewing six short videos from the Alliance to Advance Patient Nutrition, including “Rapidly Implement Nutrition Interventions” and “Recognize and Diagnose All Patients at Risk of Malnutrition.” The videos show how to collaborate with the care team to become…
By Nancy Morgan, RN, BSN, MBA, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS Each issue, Apple Bites brings you a tool you can apply in your daily practice. Here’s an overview of performing a comprehensive skin assessment. In the healthcare setting, a comprehensive skin assessment is a process in which the entire skin of a patient is examined for abnormalities. It requires looking…
By Donna Sardina, RN, MHA, WCC, CWCMS, DWC, OMS Pressure ulcers have been a health concern for a long time—since at least 5,000 years ago, when evidence of a pressure ulcer was found on an ancient Egyptian mummy. But not until 1975 did the staging classification system we’re familiar with begin. This system was designed to make things easier by…
By Jeri Lundgren, BSN, RN, PHN, CWS, CWCN Many factors can contribute to the formation of a pressure ulcer, but it’s rare that one develops in an active, mobile patient. As the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel 2014 guidelines state, “Pressure ulcers cannot form without loading, or pressure on the tissue. Extended periods of lying or sitting on a particular…
By Sharon Morrison, MAT, RN Michael had diabetes and a history of elevated blood glucose levels. A long-time drinker, he seemed to have no interest in giving up the habit. I met him while working as a diabetes nurse educator for the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, traveling from shelter to shelter to help persons with diabetes set…
By Roxana Reyna, BSN, RNC-NIC, WCC, CWOCN As wound care clinicians, we are trained—and expected—to help heal wounds in patients of any age and to achieve positive outcomes. Basic wound-healing principles apply to all patients, whatever their age or size. The specific anatomy and physiology of vulnerable pediatric patients, however, requires detailed wound care. Unfortunately, little evidence-based research exists to…
These legs show lymphedema and chronic wounds before treatment (left image) and after treatment (right image) with complex decongestive therapy (CDT)—the gold standard of lymphedema care. The patient benefited from multidisciplinary collaboration between wound care and lymphedema therapists. (more…)
Many factors can contribute to the formation of a pressure ulcer, but it’s rare that one develops in an active, mobile patient. As the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel 2014 guidelines state, “Pressure ulcers cannot form without loading, or pressure on the tissue. Extended periods of lying or sitting on a particular body part and failure to redistribute the pressure can lead to ischemia and therefore tissue damage.” Thus, immobility is frequently the root cause of pressure ulcer development. (more…)
After landing my dream job as the wound care coordinator at an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF), I found myself trying to determine how much healing could be achieved for our more challenging patients, given the constraints of reimbursement and what can be done in the typical 10 to 14 days of a patient stay.
Here’s an example of how I worked with our team to help one of these challenging patients. (more…)
Angelini Pharma Inc.
