Here's a Detailed Breakdown of What's Included in This Training:

Skin Assessment and Documentation

Everything you need to know about assessing wounds and documenting your findings. Anatomy and physiology of the skin, age specific skin assessment, skin damage and wound healing.

Wound assessment and documentation are important components of a patient encounter. The wound assessment guides treatment. Documentation of that assessment informs the patient and treatment team, is a legal record, and helps support the coverage for supplies and advanced therapies. A thorough wound assessment is the foundation of wound care, a critical skill for all healthcare professionals.

Objectives

Describe the anatomy and physiology of the skin as they relate to skin function.
Explain age specific changes in skin and skin function.
Identify types of skin damage and phases of wound healing.
List components and findings of wound assessment.

Outline

Anatomy and physiology of the skin as they relate to skin function

Review wound healing process
List and describe types of tissue damage
Describe where wounds become stalled

Age specific changes in skin and skin function

Considerations of skin changes and wound/ tissue types

Components and findings of wound assessment

How to measure a wound
Tissue types
Periwound
Drainage
Wound edges
Wound types

Wound Diagnosis and Wound Types

Partial-thickness wound and a full-thickness wound, wound healing stages, different types of wounds (abrasions, avulsions, excoriation, leg ulcers, incisions, skin tears, lacerations, puncture wounds), arterial, venous, diabetic, and neuropathic ulcers.

Making a wound diagnosis is complex… and so important to get correct! In this session, a deep dive into wound thickness, characteristics of wounds, and etiologies of wounds will be presented… making sure you get the diagnosis right and initiate the most appropriate management plan.

Objectives

Differentiate between a partial-thickness wound and a full-thickness wound.
Review wound healing stages.
Identify different types of wounds (abrasions, avulsions, excoriation, leg ulcers, incisions, skin tears, lacerations, puncture wounds).
Compare arterial, venous, diabetic, and neuropathic ulcers.

Outline

Wound Thickness and Diagnosis

Partial-thickness wound
Full-thickness wound

Wound healing stages — Characteristics of Types of Wounds

Abrasions
Avulsions
Excoriation
Leg ulcers
Incisions
Skin tears
Lacerations
Puncture wounds

Etiology of Wounds

Arterial
Venous
Diabetic
Neuropathic ulcers

Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Impact… prevalence, costs, patient morbidity, and legal implications, patients and conditions at risk of DFU, actions you can take to prevent and treat DFUs in the community.

Diabetic foot ulcers are a major source of morbidity and mortality, and the number one cause of non-traumatic amputation. Identifying and treating diabetic foot ulcers properly ensures this growing patient population has the best outcomes possible. Hear the latest information on diabetic foot ulcers and help prevent and manage them.

Objectives

Provide an overview of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) impact including prevalence, associated costs, patient morbidity, and legal implications.
Identify the causes of DFU.
Identify patients and conditions at risk of DFU.
List common, accessible interventions for DFU prevention and treatment in the community.

Outline

Review diabetic foot ulcer and PAD

Incidence
Prevalence
Risk factors

Discuss amputation risk

Prevalence
Disparity
Mortality
Community prevention interventions

Review assessment findings

Location
Neuropathy
Vascular findings
Wound assessment findings

Pressure Injuries

Etiology, prevalence, common sites, and risk factors, staging a pressure injury, moisture-associated skin damage, different pressure injury risk assessment tools, management, pressure injury management approaches, and pressure relief.

Pressure Injuries: The Latest Guidelines

Keeping up with the literature on pressure injuries is always a challenge for busy clinicians. In this session, we will cover a range of topics including epidemiology, staging, risk assessment, management, and pressure relief. This information will help clinicians incorporate new data into their clinical practice.

Objectives

Determine the etiology, prevalence, common sites, and risk factors for pressure injuries.
Differentiate between stages of pressure injuries and moisture-associated skin damage.
Implement different pressure injury risk assessment tools.
Discuss pressure injury management approaches.
Discuss preventative measures and the importance of pressure relief.

Outline

Overview of Pressure Injuries

Etiology of pressure injuries
Prevalence
Risk factors of developing pressure injuries
Common sites

Risk Assessment and Stages of pressure injuries

Risk Assessment Tools
Stages of pressure injuries
Moisture-associated skin damage

Management Approaches — Preventative measures and the importance of pressure relief

Air mattresses
Dressings
Cushion

Case study

Venous Leg Ulcers

Anatomy and physiology, etiology, and clinical presentation. Gold standard treatment for venous ulcers and other treatment options including dressings.

A Comprehensive Approach to Venous Leg Ulcers

The most common causes of lower extremity wounds are venous and arterial insufficiency, both leading to vascular ulcers that are difficult to manage. In this session, we will review the etiology, risk factors, and clinical presentation of both arterial and venous ulcers. A deep dive into diagnostic tests and measures, as well as interventions and treatment options, will be included. You will walk away with the latest advancements and evidence-based treatments to provide the best possible care to your patients.

Objectives

Review the anatomy and physiology of the arterial and venous system.
Identify risk factors and etiology for vascular ulcers.
Identify the clinical presentation of arterial and venous ulcers.
Select appropriate tests and measures to assist in differential diagnosis of vascular insufficiency.
Discuss different interventions and treatment options to manage leg vascular ulcers.

Outline

Anatomy and physiology

Arterial system
Venous system
Risk factors
Etiology

Clinical presentation

Arterial ulcer
Venous ulcers

Diagnosis and management

Diagnostic tests and measures
Interventions and treatment options

Atypical Wounds

Definition and prevalence, how do you know it's atypical, common atypical diagnosis, inflammatory ulcers and cancerous lesions, and special considerations.

Atypical ulcers, such as calcinosis cutis, calciphylaxis, pyoderma gangrenosum, vasculitis, skin cancer, fungating tumors, and more are due to alternative etiologies and more challenging to manage than most chronic wounds. This presentation reviews the clinical presentation and treatment of several atypical wounds including red flags in the identification of wounds that may be caused by atypical factors. Completion of the presentation will leave attendees with an understanding of atypical ulcers to maximize positive outcomes for patients.

Objectives

Identify what types of wounds are considered atypical and their prevalence.
Determine history and presenting signs or symptoms that may signal atypical ulcer etiology.
Describe commonly encountered atypical diagnosis including inflammatory ulcers and cancerous lesions.
List special considerations for atypical ulcer plans of care.

Outline

Review atypical ulcers

Prevalence and incidence
Definition

Review typical and atypical wound assessment findings

Tissue types
Edges
Types of atypical wounds

Review clinical presentation and treatment of a subset of atypical wounds

Calcinosis cutis
Infectious ulcers
Cancerous lesions

Ostomy Skin Care

Types of diversions, types of stoma, peristomal complications and interventions, different types of appliances, and teaching the family.

Ostomy Management and Skin Care

This session provides an overview on the several types of stomas, with a focus on colostomies and ileostomies. It includes an overview of management, complications, and types of appliances.

Objectives

Review the anatomy and physiology of the digestive system.
Identify the types of diversions and stomas.
Review stoma assessment.
Describe peristomal complications and describe the interventions.
Differentiate types of ostomy appliances and provide recommendations based on case studies.

Outline

Digestive system

Anatomy
Physiology

Surgical Corrections

Types of diversions
Types of stomas
Stoma assessment
Peristomal complications and describe the interventions

Types of appliances

Recommendations based on case studies

Advanced Wound Therapies

The benefits and mechanisms of action of various methods of delivering negative pressure wound therapy, cellular tissue product terminology and classifications, connection between mechanobiology, biofilm, and energy therapies in chronic wounds, and hyperbaric and transcutaneous oxygen therapies.

With so many existing and emerging treatment modalities to expedite wound healing in acute and chronic wounds, it is difficult to keep up with them all. This presentation reviews the mechanism of action, patient selection, and usage of various methods of advanced wound treatment including negative pressure wound therapy, transcutaneous and hyperbaric oxygen, grafts and matrices, autologous treatments, and energy therapies. Completion of the presentation will leave attendees with an understanding of adjunctive interventions to use in combination with biofilm-based wound bed preparation to maximize positive outcomes for patients.

Objectives

Identify benefits and mechanisms of action of various methods of delivering negative pressure wound therapy.
Describe cellular tissue product terminology and classifications.
Breakdown the connection between mechanobiology, biofilm, and energy therapies in chronic wounds.
Compare patient presentations for consideration of hyperbaric and transcutaneous oxygen therapies.

Outline

Considerations for advanced therapy selection

Healing process stages
Wound and periwound tissue assessment
Wound type
Insurance considerations

Principles of advanced therapy usage

Wound bed preparation

Mechanism of action and usage of advanced wound therapies

Negative pressure wound therapy
Transcutaneous and hyperbaric oxygen
Grafts and matrices
Autologous treatments
Energy therapies

Wound Hygiene

Stages of wound healing and how this relates to wound hygiene management strategies, four simple steps of a wound hygiene protocol, cytotoxicity as it relates to cleansing agents, and evidence-based concepts of moist wound healing.

Wound hygiene is an evidence-based treatment concept that combines wound bed preparation with biofilm-based wound management to optimize healing outcomes. In this session, the processes of cleansing, debriding, refashioning wound edges, and finally choosing a dressing for wounds will be covered. A knowledge of safe and effective choices to accomplish each of these steps allows healthcare professionals to maximize wound healing potential.

Objectives

Describe stages of wound healing and how this relates to wound hygiene management strategies.
Discuss the four simple steps of a wound hygiene protocol.
Describe the concept of cytotoxicity as it relates to cleansing agents.
List evidence-based concepts of moist wound healing.

Outline

Stages of wound healing and how this relates to wound hygiene management strategies.

Hemostasis
Inflammation
Proliferative
Remodeling

Four simple steps of a wound hygiene protocol

Cleanse
Debride
Refashion
Dress

Concept of cytotoxicity as it relates to cleansing agents

Define cytotoxicity
Compare cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic cleansing choices
Review hypochlorous acid

Evidence-based concepts of moist wound healing

List benefits of moist wound healing
Describe 2 complication of topical antibiotic usage
Review complications from gauze dressing usage

Biofilm and Wound Infection

Impact of bioburden and biofilm on the wound environment, culture indications and how to perform a wound culture, evidence-based treatment interventions for biofilm and bioburden, and therapeutic window where antimicrobial dressings can be most effective.

Biofilm-based wound management is a core concept in the delivery of evidence-based care. By understanding the mechanisms of targeting biofilm, clinicians will be better equipped to disrupt its contribution to delayed wound healing and infection. Wound infection is a major source of morbidity and mortality as well as a significant contributor to antibiotic resistance making it a tremendous opportunity to reduce harm and improve outcomes for patients.

Objectives

Discuss the impact of bioburden and biofilm on the wound environment.
Determine culture indications and how to perform a wound culture.
Describe evidence-based treatment interventions for biofilm and bioburden.
Define the therapeutic window where antimicrobial dressings can be most effective.

Outline

Review biofilm

Identification
Prevalence
Impact of wound healing
Treatment

Special considerations

Probe to bone
Bacteria in healthy tissue v necrotic tissue
Culturing wounds
Fluorescence imaging

Treatment of Infection

Cellulitis
Review IDSA Skin and Soft tissue Infection Guidelines
Review IDSA Diabetic foot infection guidelines
Introduce Chronic Inhibitory Bacterial Load concept

Wound Dressings

Different types of dressings, uses of each type of dressing, appropriate dressing based on the wound assessment, and advantages and disadvantages of each dressing type.

Wound Dressings: Selecting the Best for Healing

Let's face it, dressing selection can be overwhelming because of the plethora of products that are in the wound care market space. Practical knowledge of dressing categories, functionality, appropriateness, and reimbursement is key in dressing selection. This session provides clinical guidance for selecting the most suitable wound dressings based on the type of and characteristics of wounds.

Objectives

List the different types of dressings.
Discuss the uses of each type of dressing.
Evaluate the appropriate dressing based on the wound assessment.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each dressing type.

Outline

Wound Dressings: Selecting the Best for Healing

Different types of dressings
Uses of each type of dressing
Appropriate dressing based on the wound assessment

Dressing Types

Advantages of each dressing type
Disadvantages of each dressing type

Recommendations of wound dressings base on case studies

Wound Debridement

Pathophysiologic indications for debridement, principles of debridement and their impact on safe and effective sharp debridement, and debridement forms and patient selection.

Debridement is a critical step of wound bed preparation to expedite healing and assist in the avoidance of negative outcomes associated with bioburden and biofilm. Clinicians have many options to accomplish debridement including sharp, conservative sharp, mechanical, enzymatic, biologic, chemical, and autolytic debridement. Removing necrotic tissue can not only impact the wound environment, but also quality of life. This session reviews the various forms of debridement as well as contraindication and precautions. Clinicians will be aware of key safety measures if performing conservative sharp wound debridement. The course concludes with a case compendium of debridement showcasing the multitudinous debridement options available.

Objectives

Differentiate between debridement options including sharp, conservative sharp, mechanical, enzymatic, biologic, chemical, autolytic.
Define the how debridement can impact the wound environment and quality of life.
Discuss contraindications and precautions to debridement.
Identify key safety measures when performing conservative sharp wound debridement.

Outline

Assessment considerations for debridement

Tissue types
Conditions
Disease states
Skin pathophysiology

Biophysical indications for debridement including

Biofilm
Bioburden
The healing cascade

Benefits, limitations, and usage of multiple debridement modalities including

Sharp
Conservative sharp
Mechanical
Enzymatic
Biologic
Chemical
Autolytic debridement

Case compendium of debridement accomplished utilizing multiple methods

Palliative Wound Care

Palliative wound care and what constitutes a palliative wound, common palliative care wound types, core management concepts of palliative wounds, and interventions to treat common complications seen in palliative wounds.

Palliative wound care utilizes mutual goal setting to maximize quality of life in patients where wound healing may not be the primary goal. Knowledge of pain management, decreased dressing change frequency, and infection prevention methods can facilitate successful outcomes in this specialized cohort of wound patients. Learn about the special considerations of palliative wound care including an increased emphasis on infection prevention, comfort, and pain management. In addition, hear which management strategies are contraindicated in certain palliative wound types to avoid complications.

Objectives

Define palliative wound care and what constitutes a palliative wound.
List common palliative care wound types.
Describe core management concepts of palliative wounds.
Determine interventions to treat common complications seen in palliative wounds.

Outline

Palliative wound care and what constitutes a palliative wound

When to choose palliative care
Wound healing v symptom palliation
How to prioritize symptom relief

Common palliative care wound types and review management considerations

Wound in patients with cancer
Fungating tumors
Cancerous wounds
Arterial ulcers
Non-adherence to medical plans of can in medically complex patients
Overwhelming comorbidities

Core management concepts of palliative wounds

Infection prevention
Pain reduction
Odor and drainage management

Professional Considerations

Ethical concerns encountered in wound management, culturally competent care and how to integrate cultural competence into the delivery of wound care, common legal issues encountered, and interventions in prevention. Interdisciplinary wound care team necessity for effective wound management.

Professional Considerations in Wound Management

Wound care has unique professional considerations for all members of the interdisciplinary team. In this session, you will learn how to navigate potential ethical issues, ensure you are providing culturally competent care, and how to avoid legal complications… all within a team environment.

Objectives

Identify ethical concerns encountered in wound management.
Define and integrate cultural competence into the delivery of wound care.
Review scope of practice considerations.
List common legal issues encountered and interventions in prevention.
Discuss how an interdisciplinary wound care team is necessary for effective wound management.

Outline

Professional concerns in wound care

Ethical issues
Cultural competence into the delivery of wound care
Scope of practice considerations
Common legal issues encountered and interventions in prevention

Interdisciplinary wound care

Team approach
Effective wound management

Nutrition for Wound Healing

Prevalence of nutritional insufficiency and its impact on wound healing, nutritional recommendations for wound patients and their limitations, end-stage renal disease patient population, nutritional laboratory findings, and patient indications for surveillance.

Nutrition and Wound Healing Nutrition is a critical factor in wound healing. It can lead to both the development of wounds and delayed wound healing. Wound patients are at increased risk of malnutrition from a variety of sources. This session reviews the specific physiologic use of micro and macro nutrients in addition to nutritional assessment techniques to identify and correct deficiencies in the wound patient.

Objectives

Discuss the prevalence of nutritional insufficiency and its impact on wound healing.
List nutritional recommendations for wound patients and their limitations.
Define nutritional considerations for end stage renal disease patient population.
Describe nutritional laboratory findings and patient indications for surveillance.

Outline

Malnutrition/Assessment

Malnutrition defined
Assessment
Food insecurity

Protein calorie malnutrition

Definition
Treatment
Screening
Laboratory analysis

Micro nutrient use and supplementation for healing

Phosphorus
Zinc
Ascorbic acid
Iron
Folate

Wound Care in the Rehab Environment

Role of rehabilitation professionals in wound management, bed and wheelchair positioning, low-light laser therapy, electrical stimulation, diathermy, exercise, and functional mobility.

The path to wound healing is difficult and lengthy, requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Rehabilitation professionals are a vital component of wound care, playing a significant role in implementing modalities, ensuring functional mobility, and assisting with treatments.

Objectives

Discuss the role of rehabilitation professionals in wound management.
Review bed and wheelchair positioning considerations to prevent and treat chronic wounds.
Discuss the effectiveness of modalities in wound management.
Evaluate how exercise and functional mobility impact wound healing.

Outline

Role of rehabilitation professionals in wound management

Role — how rehab professionals can assist
Types of treatments
Positioning — bed and wheelchair

Effectiveness of modalities in wound management

Low-light laser therapy
Electrical stimulation
Diathermy

Impact on Wound Healing

Exercise
Functional mobility

As a Bonus for Registering For This Course, You'll Also Receive Your Certification as a Wound Care Professional (CWCP) for FREE!