Why Nursing Matters in Wound Care
Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. It’s what got me into this nursing industry and it’s what drives me to look for better outcomes for our patients. I love knowing that I can have a positive impact on every person I see or interact with. There aren’t many jobs that can say that.
It’s the caring touch. The compassionate bedside manner. The drive to improve people’s lives. It’s more than a job. It’s a calling.
As the healthcare industry evolves and new disruptors change the game, there will be one consistent presence—the nurse. Nursing is needed now more than ever across the entire care continuum. We see it every day in the Operating Room or in someone’s home who has been placed on hospice. There is no replacement for the power of a nurse, especially in wound care.
I first got into wound care while working in home health. I saw the challenges excellent and competent home health nurses faced when treating wounds. It’s a space that requires specialized training and experience. Too often nurses are inadequately equipped to handle complex wounds.
So why do we send them into situations they are often not prepared for?
In truth, we don’t have to, but it requires us to acknowledge the realities of wound care and the care model around it.
Nursing matters in wound care. It is the greatest catalyst to patient healing. I have seen firsthand the impact a skilled nurse can have on a patient with a chronic wound. The instant relief. The quicker healing time. The ability to get back to a normal life.
Nursing has that power, but we must invest in our people to harness the healing potential of nursing. For wound care, that means aligning wound-certified nurses with patients who need their help. That means new, evidence-based wound processes that bring standardized wound care into the home. It’s a new way to think about wound care because the old way isn’t working.
As of last count, there are approximately 9,700 wound, ostomy, continence, and foot care certified nurses nationwide. When we are looking at 8.8 million chronic wounds per year, this number seems pitifully small.
Nursing is the answer to solving our country’s wound care problem and reducing the $117 billion annual wound care spend. Better outcomes for wound patients are within reach. Just look to nursing.