Effective acute and chronic wound management involves full, holistic assessment and ongoing evaluation to ensure optimal outcomes. This made easy looks at the role of wound assessment in documenting improvement or deterioration over time and implications for dressing choice.

Accurate wound assessment should include a comprehensive patient history, aetiology of the wound, condition of the wound bed and periwound area, level, colour and consistency of exudate as well as the signs of infection. It is also important to review the choice of wound dressing regularly. Each wound is different and timely recognition of changes is essential. Comprehensive assessment leads to formation of appropriate treatment aims, which link to ensuring the correct wound care product is used at the right time. Ultimately, accurate assessment, increased patient involvement and appropriate interventions will result in improved patient outcomes and reduction of costs, thus improving the overall quality of care.

This made easy has been supported by Advanced Medical Solutions. Click here to visit their website