In this episode, you will learn how to prevent infection and biofilm, which should always be a goal of wound care according to many healthcare professionals.
Today you will:
- Why is accurate and holistic wound assessment important when preventing and managing infection and biofilm?
- What are the best practices for preventing infection and biofilm development?
- When should you refer a patient to a wound care specialist?
Continuous, accurate, holistic assessment of the individual and their wounds is essential for wound management. To prevent and manage infection and biofilm, many healthcare professionals agree that chronic wounds should be assessed at least once per week, and in some cases at every dressing change.
When assessing the wound, ask yourself about these warning signs:
- Do you see delayed wound healing beyond expectation?
- Are there any signs of infection? Those classic signs might include: Erythema, local warmth, swelling, purelent discharge, wound breakdown, new or increasing pain and increasing malodour.
- Do you see deterioration of the wound edge and periwound skin?
- Are there any changes to the patient's overall health and well-being?
What are the best practices for preventing infection and biofilm development?
Wound be preparation - Healthcare professionals also agree that wound bed preparation is important to prevent infection and biofilm. Wound preparation helps you optimise the wound environment by reducing bacterial load, removing non-viable tissue and preventing biofilm formation in the wound. Managing exudate by managing the gap between the wound bed and the dressing. If you don't assses and manage the gap properly, it can lead to complications and might delay the healing process. If exudate pools in the wound bed it can increase the risk of infection and if the exudate leaks onto the wound edge and periwound skin, it may cause maceration and will delay wound healing.
Promoting a sterile environment through hand washing, antiseptic use and ongoing patient education.
- When should you refer a patient to a wound care specialist?
When one or more of the following factors is present, you should consider referring your patient to a wound care specialist.
- Worsening of wound condition. A treatment plan was established and followed, but the wound is not progressing to healing. Ask yourself - Do you see an increase in wound size? Do you observe odour or increased levels of exudate?
- There is no sign of wound healing progression within 14 days. Do you suspect some signs of infection and biofilm? Are there any other complications or is the cause of the wound unknown? These were some of the signs to which you should pay a special attention to.
To wrap up:
- Prevention of infection and biofilm should always be a goal of wound care.
- Holistic wound and patient assessment is essential to observe any warning signs of infection and biofilm development.
- Closely monitor wound progression and consult a wound care specialist if needed.