This is for Clinicians that use Negative Pressure in the Home Care Environment ONLY.

CMS (Medicare) Competitive bidding process continues with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) under the spotlight. As seen with previous competitive bidding processes, companies and products with the lowest price will prevail. In order to bid competitively many NPWT companies will have to cut back on education, clinical support and other value added services so they can keep their pricing low enough to stay in the game. NPWT companies do not want to lose the bidding process, because losers will no longer receive Medicare reimbursement. (This will cut back your options for NPWT choices)

We must act now to make sure that our options for quality, not just cheapest, NPWT are available. Simply call, write, or email your local congressman at:https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Tell your representative who you are, what you do and why they should ensure the CMS should institute accreditation & quality standards for NPWT suppliers, prior to bidding for a government contract.

These standards will ensure suppliers can deliver the essential elements for safe and effective use of NPWT in the home, such as requiring 24/7 clinical support along with educational support available to home care patients.”

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ANCC- Accredited Nursing Skills Competency 3 Part Certification Sessions (Non-Accredited)

Ok Wound Care Professionals, here is your chance to get up to speed or improve your skills!

Jana Stewart BSN, RN, WOCN and Josie F. Shantz MSWN, RNC, WCC, Regional Professional Education Manager will be presenting a session at this year’s Wild On Wounds National Conference. The program is designed to confirm the competency of wound carepracticioners providing V.A.C. Therapy through the administration of the ANCC (American Nurse Credentialing Center) Accrediting Nursing Skills Competency Program.

In this 3-part certification session, the participant will learn assessment and proper application of the V.A.C. There will be a focus on learner accountability with lab-based specific skills.

Participant prerequisites: Clinicians experienced in the use of  V.A.C Therapy in the management of patients with wounds. Join us in the session and obtain your certification at the completion of the session!

For more information Check out Wild on Wounds 2011 National Conference

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Hydrogel & Maceration don’t go together!

The Application of Wound Gels:
Maceration is when the skin tissue is exposed to excessive moisture over a period of time. A great example would be if you have been in the bath tub too long and your fingers get pruney. You know how it turns white and softens up? We may see this sometimes in our practice around the wound edge and/or periwound skin. When this happens skin breakdown occurs and may make the wound larger. Maceration can be caused by several different things such as; excessive wound drainage, urinary incontinence, sweating and improper use of wound treatments.

When using a hydrogel to a wound we need to make sure it stays in the wound bed and not on the edges or periwound area. Using a cotton swab gives you easy control of where the hydrogel should be applied.

Sometimes you will see clinicians just taking the tube of hydrogel and start squirting it in to the wound, but when they place the secondary dressing over top of the wound the hydrogel may tend to ooze over the edges and on to the good tissue and cause maceration. Not good you always want to maintain control of where the hydrogel is going. Your goal is to keep the hydrogel in the wound bed only.

TIP: Use moisture barrier, like skin prep, around the wound edges to prevent from maceration-this is just a good habit to do every time you use hydrogel as a treatment.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure the products you are using in the wounds are appropriate.

For more information about becoming Wound Care Certified and our New Diabetic Wound Certification Courses, please visit http://www.wcei.net

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Description: Sterile white powder in a single-use, sterile foil laminate pouch.  The powder interacts with wound exudate and hydrates when applied to wound. Hydration with exudate causes powder to aggregate and form a moist wound dressing which seals the wound and conforms to the surface of the wound bed.

Actions: Promotes moist healing environment, high moisture vapor transpiration rate creates capillary action against the wound surface – believed to stimulate cell growth and fibroblast mobility.

Indications:

• Exuding superficial acute wounds such as skin graft donor sites and second-degree burns (partial thickness burns with exudates, maximum 10% of body surface area).
• Surgical wounds, such as post-operative wounds or dermatological excisions (only as a primary dressing over wound, not to be used as replacement for sutures).
• Chronic, slow-healing wounds such as leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, and diabetic ulcers.

Precautions:

• Wear sterile gloves to apply ALTRAZEAL dressing.
• ALTRAZEAL dressing should only be applied to a clean, moist wound surface. Apply sterile saline or similar product to moisten the wound surface before application if required.
• Do not use solutions other than sterile normal saline or equivalent to induce aggregation of dressing.
• This wound dressing should not be applied with oil-based products on the wound surface, particularly ointments, salves, or other treatments. These oil-based products will prevent proper hydration and aggregation at the wound surface.
• The dressing can be used on wounds with infection only under medical supervision with appropriate therapy and frequent monitoring.
• The dressing should be removed, e.g. with forceps or similar instruments following thorough saturation with sterile saline.
• Does not require a secondary dressing unless determined to be necessary by health care professional.   If a secondary dressing is required a non-adhesive, vapor-permeable dressing is preferred.   Petroleum based dressings and occlusive or surface contact adhesives should be avoided.
• Can remain in place up to 30 days as long as the wound produces exudate. However, the dressing should be changed if clinically necessary.   ALTRAZEAL will remain in intimate contact with the wound surface until the skin underneath heals. Areas of dressing covering intact skin will detach from the remaining dressing and flake off as particles similar to a scab.

Website:  http://www.altrazeal.com

Video :http://bit.ly/R888G

For more information about Wound Care Products or to become Wound Care Certified, Please visit http://www.wcei.net

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Actions: Effective in cleaning biofilms: removes proteins and organic loads from wound bed.  Rapid activity against a broad spectrum of gram-positive, gram-negative and yeast species including MRSA and VRE with the  in vitro time kill of 30 seconds.

Indications: Acute and chronic dermal lesions, Stage I-IV pressure ulcers, Stasis ulcers, Diabetic ulcers, Post-surgical wounds, Abrasions and Minor irritations of the skin.

Information:

• No known drug/treatment interactions or contraindications
• No rinsing required: can be used directly on the wound or in combination with gauze and other absorbent wound dressings
• Non-irritating: safe to use around the nose, mouth and eyes
• Ready to use: no mixing, dilution or rinsing necessary
• Compatible: can be safely and effectively used prior to treatment with silver dressings, skin substitutes, growth factors, negative-pressure therapy and others wound care treatments
• Stable: 18 to 24 months depending on bottle type

Website:  http://www.oculusis.com/us/index.php

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As Wound Care Certified professionals, one of our responsibilities is to educate our patients and peers as well as staying informed. In a series of upcoming blog posts, Wound Care Resources Series, we will be sharing information about available resources to our Wound Care Certified and Health Care provider community.

Today we will be sharing information about a Wound Photo CD Resource that is available through WoundCentral.com. This CD is filled with various images of wounds and skin conditions for use in educational and training programs. On this CD you will find images of pressure ulcers, lesions, venous and arterial wounds, diabetic wounds and close up pictures of tissue types. This CD is a great for adding visual reinforcement to you educational activities.

The Wound Photo CD has over 150 photographic images in high quality JPEG Format. All images can be downloaded into other programs or printed. This is perfect for Powerpoint Presentations.

Image Categories include:

• Skin Lesions
• Lower Extremity Wounds
• Tissue Types
• Surgical Wounds
• Tissue Types
• Other Wounds
• Miscellaneous

You can find more information about this Wound Photo CD or purchase this resource at WoundCentral.com

For more information about becoming Wound Care Certified and our Skin and Wound Management Course, please visit http://www.wcei.net/course_info

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Ever wonder why so few health care professionals realize that PT’s can play an integral part in caring for patients with wounds? This session will explore the role of physical therapy in wound care and discuss the importance of Physical Therapy as part of the interdisciplinary team.

Don’t miss out on this session. Check out Online Registration for our upcoming Wild on Wounds National Conference.

For more information on becoming Wound Care Certified and our Skin and Wound Management Course, please check out our Course Information Page

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Glendale Wisconsin- August 2, 2010, The National Alliance of Wound Care® (NAWC) today announced that NAWC board member Ottamissiah (Missy) Moore, LPN, CLNI, WCC, GC, CHPLN will be admitted to the 2010 class of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Founders Leadership Institute. “This invitation is a huge achievement for Missy and speaks highly of her work and dedication to nursing. All of us from the National Alliance of Wound Care congratulate Missy on receiving this prestigious honor, said Debbie Hecker, RN, MBA, WCC, Executive Director. The Institute will be held on Friday, August 6, 2010 in conjunction with the 8th annual NBNA Institute and Conference in San Diego, CA August 3-8, 2010.
The Institute includes an influential group of speakers who will discuss professional and personal nursing experiences. Each attendee will be teamed up with a mentor to help guide them through the day long journey. The Institute is designed to provide the tools, resources and insight to help its invited attendees achieve their goal as professional level leaders.
About NBNA
The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) is a non-profit organization which represents 150,000 African American registered nurses, licensed vocational/practical nurses, nursing students and retired nurses from the USA, Eastern Caribbean and Africa, with 79 chartered chapters in 34 states. The NBNA was organized in 1971 under the leadership of Dr. Lauranne Sams, former Dean and Professor of Nursing at the Tuskegee University School of Nursing, Tuskegee, Alabama. For more information about the NBNA, visit their website at www.nbna.org.
About NAWC
The NAWC is a non-profit organization, dedicated to the advancement and promotion of excellence in wound care through the certification of wound care practitioners. NAWC is the largest professional wound care credentialing and membership organization in the United States. The NAWC is among an elite group of more than 90 credentialing organizations that have received and maintained National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation. For more information about the WCC, Wound Care Certified certification, visit the website at www.nawccb.org.
Contact Information:
Fred Berg, CWCMS
Director of Marketing and Business Development
National Alliance of Wound Care
877-922-6292, ext 706
Fax: 1-800-352-8339
fberg@nawccb.org

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Join us in welcoming comedian Mac King as he brings his comedy and magic into the world of Wound Care.

Mac King was recently named “Magician of the Year” by the Magic Castle in Hollywood. He has broken a Guinness World Record, and just appeared on his seventh TV special for NBC. He was also voted the sixth best show in all of Las Vegas, and his book from Random House is now in its fifth printing!

For more information about the Wild On Wounds National Conference, please visit http://www.wcei.net/wow-conference.

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Rex the Robotic Exoskeleton may sound like something out of the future, but I assure you the future has arrived. Check out the video below. From a wound care clinician’s perspective, I immediately was intrigued by what I saw in terms of what the future may hold for pressure relief, mobility management and treatment for patients that suffer from chronic pressure ulcers and wounds.

Some of the immediate benefits that came to mind include but are not limited to:

• Pressure Relief to the sacral and ischial areas
• Improved circulation through mobility
• Decreased atrophy
• Improved Dignity

So what are your thoughts on this type of technology and what it may mean to the treatment of patients with wounds? I know costs would be a concern, but we should consider the costs of long term wound care treatments and how technology advancements like the Rex Robotic Exoskeleton would mean. It appears that the quality of life for the young man in the video was considerably enhanced. What say you?

For more information about the Wound Care Education Institute or to become Wound Care Certified, please visit http://www.wcei.net

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