A relational database within the Leg Club Network: an audit

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Vascular Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• The increasing prevalence of venous leg ulcers in aging populations poses significant wound care challenges.
• The Lindsay Leg Club model offers a community-based approach to leg health management.
• Auditing existing data is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of such models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To audit the relational database of the Leg Club Network, analyzing patient data from 2014-2019.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Lindsay Leg Club model in managing leg health for an aging demographic.
• To identify areas for improvement, such as the inclusion of psychosocial outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a relational database containing over 266,000 leg assessments and treatments from >17,000 patients.
• Examination of nurse-member attendance times, skill mix, healing rates, and recurrence rates.
• Calculation of staffing costs and analysis of patient demographics, with 71% aged 70-94.

Main Results:

• Average healing rate of 62% after 12 weeks; recurrence rate of 20% after 12 weeks.
• Average nurse-member attendance time of 28 minutes, with staffing costs of £28 per treatment.
• The majority of members (71%) were aged 70-94, underscoring the need for age-specific care.

Conclusions:

• The Lindsay Leg Club model demonstrates positive outcomes in leg ulcer management for the elderly.
• The current data collection lacks psychosocial and well-being indicators, which are recommended for future development.
• Further research should incorporate these elements to provide a holistic view of patient care and outcomes.