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Wound Care Specialist are health care professionals and technicians with specialty training in restoring skin and infection control. After successfully completing the basic courses for a career in the health care field, a wound care specialist accrues at least three years of experience in wound care before sitting for a written examination to prove their specialized knowledge and competence. To maintain their wound care specialist status, continuing education credits and periodic re-certification testing is required.
Nurses, a variety of specialty physicians, physical therapists, and medical technicians all work together as a multidisciplinary team to deliver care to patients with acute, chronic and non-healing wounds of all types. They work in acute care hospitals, emergency rooms, nursing homes, home health agencies, clinics, and other health care facilities.
Nurses clean, treat and dress wounds as well as teach patients and their families how to care for the wound at home. Educating the patient and family is important to not only promote healing but to help watch for signs of infection that can delay healing and extend the need for professional care. Nurses are instrumental in developing and executing a formal plan of care for the patient.
Physicians caring for wounds may come from several different disciplines including general surgery, vascular surgery, podiatry, and dermatology, among others. Other medical specialists may become involved in patient care, depending upon the origin, location and extent of the wound. Plastic surgery may be another involved discipline. Doctors also attain certification through the American Academy of Wound Management to become a Certified Wound Specialist Physician (CWSP).
A primary care physician is often the referring doctor and is instrumental in coordinating communication and therapy among the team of wound care specialists.
Physical therapists in some health care facilities work with patients requiring wound care. They specialize in treatment modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, whirlpool and compression therapy, among others.
Wound care specialists deliver cutting-edge health care. As a multidisciplinary team, the combined expertise and diverse clinical knowledge may cover a wide range of modalities to improve the patient’s wound healing and thus, improve their quality of life.
Some wounds the health care team treats may include:
• Acute wounds in an emergency room: Acute wounds are often precipitated by trauma, such as burns, lacerations, or abrasions. As the historical and clinical features surrounding the cutaneous injury process differ, wounds must be evaluated and treated individually. Without proper cleansing and wound care, these acute wounds can lead to complications, such as poor healing and infection. Optimizing wound healing through proper acute wound management involves removal of harmful debris/necrotic tissue, exploration for underlying injuries, control of bacterial burden and appropriate closure.
• Post-operative wounds: Post-operative wounds are those wounds acquired during surgical procedures. Postoperative wound healing occurs after surgery and normally follows distinct bodily reactions: the inflammatory response, the proliferation of cells and tissues that initiate healing, and the final remodeling. Postoperative wounds are different from other wounds in that they are anticipated and treatment is usually standardized depending on the type of surgery performed. Since the wounds are ‘predicted’, actions can be taken beforehand and after surgery that can reduce complications and promote healing.
• Pressure wounds and bed sores: A pressure ulcer, also known as a bedsore or decubitus ulcer, is a wound of the skin caused by prolonged, unrelieved pressure to that area. Pressure ulcers occur most frequently around bony prominences such as the tailbone, hips, heels, ankles and elbows. Many factors can contribute to the formation of pressure ulcers. The main cause is unrelieved pressure to a location of skin on the body. This constant pressure inflicts damage by decreasing the area’s blood supply and traumatizing the skin. When this pressurized spot rubs against other surfaces (such as bed sheets or wheel chairs), the tissue is further damaged. Other contributing factors are excess moisture (fecal or urinary incontinence), poor nutrition and/or hydration, and generally poor health.
• Diabetic ulcers: A neurogenic ulcer is also known as a diabetic ulcer. Diabetic ulcers are generally found on the bottom of the foot and can occur on either or both feet. Other areas that can be affected include the legs, hands, and even in the folds of skin, around or on the stomach. Diabetic ulcers can be painful. Many people feel embarrassed by their appearance, in addition to the physical pain they experience. A typical diabetic ulcer on the foot looks like a red sore that manifests in the surface of the skin and can form in a variety of areas. However, sores can occur deeper in the skin. A deep foot ulcer can extend to the tendons and bones of the feet and must be treated quickly. If the condition worsens, the diabetic ulcer will likely become infected.
• Vascular ulcers: Vascular ulcers are chronic, or long term, breaches in the skin caused by problems with the vascular system, also known as the circulatory system. Vascular ulcers have the potential to be dangerous. They may not heal normally and can lead to an increased risk of infection. Due to related medical problems, patients with vascular ulcers may have little or no sensation in the ulcer area. Therefore, you may not notice a vascular ulcer until it has progressed to the point of becoming large and/or infected.
• Radiation wounds: Radiation therapy is a powerful treatment that slows or kills the growth of cancer cells. It’s recommended for half of all cancer patients, many of whom owe their lives to radiation treatment. However, such a potent treatment doesn’t harm cancer cells in isolation; it also injures healthy cells and tissues as a result.
A patient with a wound that has not healed after one month of conventional therapy is often referred to a wound care specialist for further evaluation and treatment. The wound specialist may add new therapies such as a specialized treatment like the hyperbaric oxygen chamber to improve the healing process. Hyperbaric treatments provide 100% oxygen inside a pressurized chamber to aid healing.
A key role of a wound specialist lies in patient and family education. Wounds heal differently for everyone, and improvements are not seen overnight. Wound specialists need to demonstrate patience and compassion to their patients as they navigate the long road to recovery.
Advanced Wound Ostomy & Continence Care
352-897-0063
www.myadvancedwound.com
PO Box 773663, Ocala, Florida
Now seeing patients at:
8618 SW 103rd Street Road, Ocala, FL 34481
