Use of the PUSH tool to measure venous ulcer healing

Currently, no instrument is available to provide an accurate and simple method of monitoring venous ulcer healing in clinical practice. The Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) tool was developed and validated to monitor the healing of pressure ulcers. During a 2-month study involving 27 venous ulcer patients visiting a chronic wound clinic of a major university, the feasibility of using the PUSH tool to monitor healing was evaluated. The patients were assessed by two Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses using the PUSH tool, where 0 = healed and 17 = worst possible score. The mean score at the initial clinic visit was 12. One month and 2 months later, the mean scores were 9 and 8, respectively. Of the 27 participating patients, 23 had a decrease in their PUSH score over the 2-month period of the study; four of the 23 patients had PUSH scores of zero after 2 months because their venous ulcers had healed. One ulcer did not change and three ulcers worsened and their PUSH scores increased. Based on this study, the PUSH tool appears to be an effective way to monitor healing trends in venous ulcers as well as pressure ulcers.