Wound Care Management an Interdisciplinary Approach

Topic: The development of wound rounds to aid nursing and physical therapy (PT) staff obtain wound care knowledge, initiate an interdisciplinary approach to wound management and develop a process for tracking wound healing. 

Purpose: In a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Center (PM&R), wound care services were provided by both nursing and PT staff. Collaboration and communication between services was minimal. Confusion among the various disciplines (medical, nursing, PT) existed creating potential missed complications, inconsistent wound treatment, poor wound management, inability to track wound healing and missed opportunities to improve staff knowledge.
Objective: Steps to improve patient outcomes, wound management, staff knowledge and develop an interdisciplinary approach to wound care.

Outcomes: An interdisciplinary wound care team consisting of physicians, CWOCN, nursing, PT and Infection control nurse was established.

In addition the following outcomes were established:

·         Improved patient outcomes
·         Improved in reduction of wound measurements
·         Inconsistencies with the management of wound care was identified between nursing and PT and a standard           communication format established
·         Protocols/guidelines were created by WOC nurses and implemented
·         WOCN was able to provide knowledge and resources to the team to improve wound care services
·         Nurses and PT have had an increase in knowledge about wound care
·         Wound care rounds were completed and outcomes documented weekly
·         Ability to track wounds and monitor effectiveness of current treatments