Wound exudate presents several challenges for patients and nurses. The description of exudate volume, colour and viscosity varies greatly, often depending on the personal preference of the nurse. When the nature and volume of exudate has been described, management of exudate presents its own issues in terms of ensuring that the appropriate dressing or intervention is selected and used effectively. This article reports on the outcomes of a series of discussion groups held to explore the difficulties tissue viability nurse specialists experience in relation to advising non-specialist nurses about wound exudate in the practice setting.