The use of technology to improve wound care practice

Background: As clinicians we may encounter patients with complicated wounds of varying etiologies. Local Problem: Wound education is often lacking in nursing and medical curriculums. There is shortage of wound specialized clinicians to offer guidance. Furthermore, there is a shortage of palliative specialized clinicians to assist when the goals of wound care may need to shift to symptom management. Methods: The accredited Wound Care Pro app was developed as an educational resource for clinicians to meet this critical care need. It includes an overview of eight wound etiologies with descriptions, images, treatment options, case studies, and interventions to manage distressing symptoms, such as wound pain, odor, bleeding, and excessive exudate. Interventions: Technology was used to develop an educational tool for clinicians to have at their fingertips to help bridge the knowledge gap. The goals include empowering clinicians caring for patients with wounds to improve the healing potential when healing is the goal, to decrease the risk of complications, to improve symptom management, to decrease the wasteful use of costly wound supplies, and to decrease the risk of litigation from inappropriate wound care plans. Results: More than 11,000 clinicians have downloaded the application with positive feedback received, including how it has helped them get more appropriate, cost-effective wound care plans in place. Conclusion: Although there is a shortage of wound and palliative specialized clinicians to meet complex patient wound care needs, technology can help empower clinicians whether wound healing or palliation is the goal.