Wound care guidelines and formulary for community nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Practice Guidelines

Background:

• Community nursing faces increasing complexity due to technological advancements and early hospital discharge.
• Community nurses experience high stress and low morale, particularly in areas like wound care.
• The diversity of wound care products and techniques complicates clinical decision-making for nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an evidence-based practice guideline handbook for community nurses.
• To support community nurses in making effective and cost-efficient wound care decisions.
• To address the challenges of managing complex clinical care in the community setting.

Main Methods:

• Development of a handbook integrating evidence-based practice and local preferences for wound care.
• Distribution of the handbook to all community nurses in the Grampian region.
• Handbook designed for ease of use with a portable format, updates, and clear navigation features.

Main Results:

• The handbook provides guidance on effective clinical practice and cost efficiency in wound care.
• District nurses in the region were issued with the handbook.
• The handbook's design facilitates easy access to information through features like colour coding and extra information boxes.

Conclusions:

• The handbook has been successful in supporting community nurses with wound care decision-making.
• There is potential to adapt this resource for practice nurses and community hospitals.
• Evidence-based resources can help alleviate pressure and improve morale among community nurses.