Health Outcomes Led by Advanced Practice Nurses in Patients With Chronic Wounds: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Wound Care Management
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Advanced practice nurses (APNs) are crucial in managing chronic wounds.
• Existing literature on APN outcomes in wound care is fragmented.
• This review addresses the need for a comprehensive overview of APN interventions and their outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map and examine the literature on outcomes associated with advanced practice nurse interventions in chronic wound care.
• To synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of APN-led wound care models.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the Arskey and O'Malley framework.
• Searches were performed in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Scopus.
• Included studies focused on patients with chronic wounds managed by APNs.

Main Results:

• 31 studies met the inclusion criteria, investigating diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure injuries.
• Key outcomes measured included clinical healing rates, recurrence, complications, organizational efficiency, and patient-reported outcomes.
• APN interventions were associated with various positive outcomes across different wound types.

Conclusions:

• APN-led wound care models show potential for faster healing, lower recurrence and complication rates, and improved care efficiency.
• These models demonstrate global applicability and consistent improvements in clinical, organizational, and patient-reported outcomes.
• The findings support the integration and expansion of APN roles in chronic wound management.