Chronic Wound Nursing

Chronic wounds are those wounds that do not heal in predictable stages. They appear to be detained in one or a few stages of healing, a situation which make them to take extra-ordinarily long to heal. These wounds cause a great deal of physical and emotional pain. Additionally, sufferers and healthcare systems find them to be financially burdensome as they demand extra amounts of resources as compared to ordinary wounds. Addressing the challenges presented by chronic wounds necessitates skilled intervention by trained wound care specialists (Bryant, 2000).

Although training is important, studies have revealed that overreliance on educational knowledge cannot adequately facilitate the healing of chronic wounds. In this regard, the management of these wounds calls on a close association between the sufferer, the health care agency, and the nurses. In such an association, the management acts as an enabler and a reinforcing strategy that brings healthcare professionals and the patients in tune, a scenario which enables them to uphold ethics during their interactions (Mani, 2003). As such, they ensure that their efforts are geared towards remedying the suffering which results from chronic wounds. Moreover, management facilitates the establishment of the patients’ perspectives regarding the wound handling, and this presents the nurses with a chance to educate the patients with some of the negotiated plans. Upon such an education, the two agree on the next step of action (Mani, 2003).

Chronic wounds require an active participation and personal responsibility from the patient so as to enhance the diagnostic as well as treatment processes. On its part, the health care agency ought to provide a work environment that triggers the nurses to invent wound management methods that best suit the nature of the wound in question. By providing the current wound management models, the agency enables nurses and the patients to compare and contrast the situation at hand with several others (Bryant, 2000). This enables them to improve their wound caring practices, a situation which reduces anguish as well as the financial burden. The nurses should also be ready to complete their own personal scores as this has been proved to be a facilitator of the construction of a learning portfolio. Such portfolios are important in establishing the basis for the continuous professional development as well as a lifelong learning for the nurses (Mani, 2003).

As much as the patients and caregivers require access to a reliable source of chronic wound care skills and knowledge, they also need professionals such as dieticians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and discharge planners to avail their expertise. Effective management of a home care agency avails a chance for these stakeholders to join hand with the nurses so as to form inter-professional teams. According to the World Union of Wound Healing Societies, teamwork helps in building confidence and trust amongst the stakeholders. Having such a comfortable working environment prompts the nurses to express compassion for the patients, and together, they cooperate for the purpose of improving the healing process (Bryant, 2000).