Two-year audit of a nurse-supervised leg ulcer clinic in a district general hospital

Over a two-year period, 150 patients (87 female, mean age 68 ± I 3 years) were referred to a nurse-supervised leg ulcer clinic. The first 100 patients to achieve healing were followed up for two years. After screening, 55 patients were classified as having venous ulcers, 17 with arterial ulcers and 16 with ulcers that had both venous and arterial features. Twelve patients were allocated to a 'miscellaneous ulceration' category. Ulcers had been present from one month to eight years. Ulcer healing was achieved by 12 weeks in 60% of those patients with venous ulceration, and in 35%, 50% and 58% respectively of those with arterial, mixed and miscellaneous ulceration. All ulcers were completely healed by 69 weeks. Twenty patients presented with recurrent ulcers within six months of discharge. Of the remaining 18 patients, eight did not achieve healing of ulcers after a further two years of follow-up. The nurse-run clinic was successful in healing most of the patients referred, some of whom had had leg ulceration for many years. We see the wound care specialist as functioning in the same way as asthma, diabetic or stoma specialist nurses.