Nursing home Resources

A specialist wound telehealth service was established to deliver equitable service with parity of access to wound care for all residents of 38 nursing homes in Sussex with wounds of any type (n=579). All patients were managed using a systematic telehealth approach that combined digital and in-patient consultations according to established protocols and care pathways. Data for a three-year period was analysed by hand to determine patient demographics, wound type and discharge outcomes for all patients with wounds. The results showed that the mean age of patients was 86 years, with the majority being female (80% healed and 66% deceased). Referral outcomes were referred onwards (n=92), healed (n=234) or deceased (n=253). The most prevalent wound type was pressure ulceration in both healed and deceased patient groups (60% and 59%, respectively), followed by lower limb wounds (20% and 26%, respectively). Mean time to healing or death were 103 days versus 86 days, respectively. The authors concluded that the collaborative use of a specialist wound telehealth service ensured that all residents received prompt, evidence-based wound care. Healing was achieved in this vulnerable patient population, despite the existence of numerous barriers to healing. Patients nearing end of life with a wound received palliative wound management. The time to healing in this group cannot be commented upon due to lack of comparative studies in this patient population.

Pressure ulcers represent expensive adverse events and are a significant cause of pain and distress to patients. This article examines a SKIN bundle approach that was implemented in a Welsh nursing home to assist in the prevention of pressure damage. An educational intervention specifically designed to aid implementation was put in place and a series of audits were performed to collect nursing team members’ knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention and occurrence. The authors outline how staff’s knowledge scores increased dramatically following education and how pressure ulcer prevalence subsequently remained low.