Developing wound management guidelines for community nurses

Quality improvements are at the forefront of the Government's agenda and the advent of clinical governance has increased interest in the evidence base on which clinical decisions are made. Clinical guidelines are seen as an important tool in achieving evidence-based practice and there has recently been a proliferation in guideline development, nationally and locally. This article describes the rationale for the development of wound management guidelines for community nurses and the key steps that were involved in this process. It discusses and highlights the importance of an implementation strategy, and the need to evaluate, review and ensure that guidelines are up to date. It is intended to be of use to those nurses in the community who are considering undertaking guideline development.