08 January 2024

04 April 2023

Lymphoedema is a chronic, progressive condition, which can have a significant impact on patients ó both physically and psychologically. While there is no cure, it is vital that the condition is effectively managed to prevent deterioration and its impact on patient quality of life.

20 February 2020

While many general practice nurses (GPN) are already used to managing patients with multiple comorbidities, the need for complex wound care that can accompany patients with long-term conditions is on the increase, and has been for some time. So is now the time for GPNs to become experts in wound care?

23 March 2023

Focus days and activities are frequently used to raise awareness of issues impacting on patients’ well-being. However, to achieve excellence in practice, action must continue beyond the scope of these. This poster discusses a partnership project undertaken to raise awareness of Moisture Associated Skin Damage (MASD) and ensure sta feel condent in assessment and management patients’ skin.

17 July 2019

The transition from experienced nurse to tissue viability nurse specialist (TVNS) is challenging, with numerous hurdles to overcome. Here, Ali Hill reflects on her experience to date, transitioning from the management of chronic wounds in the community to specialist management of oncological wounds in a hospital setting.

21 March 2023

Healthcare acquired pressure ulcers (PU) are a well-recognised, long standing preventable harm and historical data from the NHS Safety Thermometer suggests that in England, approximately 25,000 patients a year develop pressure ulcers.1
Whilst there is no single definitive national figure available for the cost of treating pressure related tissue injury, the estimated daily spend on pressure ulcer management in the NHS is in excess of £3.8 million1, with a yearly NHS spend of £1.4 - £2.1bn reported almost 20 years ago.2

21 March 2023

Mr. JB is a 73-year-old gentleman who has a long-standing history of Venous leg ulcer (VLU). The chronicity of the ulcer has caused him signicant distress due to both the direct physical symptoms caused by the disease and indirectly through limitation of his activity of daily living, brought on by its management. His active lifestyle has prevented him complying with regular attendance at clinic appointments and keeping his wound dressings and bandages dry and clean. This has resulted in several wound contamination and deterioration.

21 March 2023

It was recognised within the hospital Trust that there were challenges in ensuring that patients requiring wound debridement in order to progress their wounds received this in a timely and effective manor These challenges were identified by the Tissue viability Team to be due to lack of clinicians skilled in sharp debridement, ineffective mechanical debridement and patients moving from department or hospital before debridement can be administered Debridement is often described as a method of wound bed preparation, it involves the removal of necrotic material, eschar, devitalised tissue, serocrusts infected tissue, hyperkeratosis, slough, or any other type of bioburden from a wound with the objective to promote wound healing 1 A delay in the patient receiving debridement may result in delayed healing.
A novel new wound debridement gel that is safe, easy and effective to use was evaluated within the Trust to assess whether this may address some of these challenges

20 February 2020

Andrew Sharpe discusses three of the clinical emergencies seen in the diabetic foot — peripheral arterial disease, infection and Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy (Charcot foot) — with the aim of enhancing knowledge and clinical skills in the management of diabetic foot disease.

21 February 2020

Kate Upton describes compassion fatigue, an increasingly reported form of stress associated with the demands of nursing in the current NHS, and questions what can be done to overcome it.