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Wound healing

Georgina Casey Nurse consultant, Bristol

By examining the physiology of wound healing and treatment options, Georgina Casey offers advice on selecting appropriate treatments in assessing and managing wounds

Aim and intended learning outcomes

This article aims to provide an explanation of the physiological events that occur during wound healing and relate these to the clinical appearance of the wound, and the selection of dressings and other topical treatments. While wound healing is a complex process, it normally proceeds without any nursing interventions. When intervention is required, such as for chronic wounds, the choice of treatment made by nurses can impact on the progress of healing. After reading this article you should be able to:

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Relate the clinical appearance of a wound to the underlying physiological processes.

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Discuss the key elements of the ideal wound environment and relate these to treatment goals.

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Demonstrate, through selection of appropriate dressings and topical applications, an understanding of the impact of these products on the process of wound healing.

Primary Health Care. 8, 10, 31-36. doi: 10.7748/phc1998.12.8.10.31.c617

Article 641. Casey G (1998) Wound healing. Primary Health Care. 8, 10, 31-38.

This article relates to UKCC Professional development categories: Care enhancement, and Practice development

Time Out

■ Continuing Education articles are run in conjunction with the Royal College of Nursing Institute to help you to maintain and develop your clinical practice and which you can use to meet your UKCC requirements for professional updating. All you have to do is read through the article, follow the instructions in the boxes, then answer the assessment questions that follow.

■ Fill out the enclosed answer sheet and return it to the Freepost address with your fee (£10 RCN members, £15 non-members) or free assessment voucher by January 2000.

■ You will gain five CEPs by successfully completing the assessment.