Taking a holistic approach to wound management

Posted Thursday 25 April 2024 | The Nurses for Nurses Network and Education at Sea

Wound management can be challenging for both the individual living with a wound and also for the clinician. Too often this becomes about the 'hole in the patient' not the 'whole patient'. Wounds can have a negative impact on the individual affecting their quality of life.

This conference will explore a holistic approach to wound management taking into consideration the patient, their health and those factors that may impact on wound healing outcomes.

You will learn

• What person-centred care means in a wound management environment.
• How to recognise a chronic wound.
• What wound healing looks like in the chronic wound environment.
• The scope of practice framework.
• What you can delegate in regards to the wound management plan and what needs to remain a registered nurses responsibility.
• The complexities of the ageing skin.
• What interventions to put in place with the ageing skin to prevent further complications.
• The definition of skin integrity and how that underpins the wound assessment process.
• From a variety of case studies how to put theory into practice.
• The key issues involved with a bariatric patient and skin integrity and wound management.
• Specific strategies to employ with skin hygiene and find out what works and what should be avoided.
• The issues that should be understood when employing wound management techniques in the diabetic client.
• The issues that surround skin integrity and injection technique when working with a diabetic client.
• How palliative wound care should be provided and the key issues regarding the outcome that is achievable.
• About pain management strategies that should be employed in wound management plans.
• That medication is not always required as a pain strategy in wound care management.
• What should be included in a wound management plan.
• How a thorough assessment process can lead to using the correct wound care product.
• That of the thousands of wound care products on the market you only need a few to get great results.
• That teamwork is required to get the best result for the patient in the quickest and most cost effective manner.

Conference learning outcomes

In this conference you will:

• gain an understanding of the patient experience of wound management
• explore the concept of patient centred care in the wound management environment
• review various patient groups that will require a different approach to wound care management
• investigate the strategies that you can employ to meet the clients needs and maintain best practice options.

Presenters

Louise Webber
Masters of Nursing Science (Nursing Practioner), BA (Hons), RN.

Louise has over 20 years’ experience in wound management established her own Private Practice (Wound Therapies) following completion of her Nurse Practitioner in 2014. She has worked across several public hospitals and Community Nurse Settings both in Australia and overseas.

She works collaboratively with several Aged Care Providers, private hospitals and Community Nursing Services and runs a Specialist wound clinic for a GP Practice north of Brisbane.

Louise was previously an Honorary Clinical Fellow for Australian Catholic University having participated in several research projects leading to publication. She is passionate about wound care and striving for best practice and has participated in several international working groups for Pressure Injuries and Leg ulcers.

She is a mum of two teenagers, loves the Sunny Coast lifestyle, and attempting to play golf!

Jules Aitken
Masters of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner).

Jules Aitken is an Endorsed Nurse Practitioner specialising in Diabetes, Chronic Disease and Weight Management.  She attained her Masters of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She is also a registered Credentialed Diabetes Educator (CDE) registered with the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) gaining her Certificate of Diabetes Management at the University of Technology Sydney.

Jules has worked within the diabetes, chronic disease and weight loss management field for over 15 years, working both independently and within specialist clinics, she coordinates the care of clients with complex diabetes, chronic conditions, and weight loss.

Jules has participated in research projects involving chronic disease management, weight loss and diabetes and has presented at nursing, allied health, medical and community events at local, State and National level. She is a mentor for diabetes educators with the Australian Diabetes Educators Association and also provides education and mentorship for student nurses, EENs, RNs, and other health professionals within private organisations.

Jules has worked with local, State and Federal government organizations most notably a Primary Care Network as a member of a working committee establishing health pathways for aged care, diabetes and chronic pain, and also as a member of their quality improvement committee.