WCEI - Blog - Wound Care Education Institute Blog WCEI

What happens when orders don’t meet wound care standards

September 11th, 2019

Does your ordering clinician’s wound care knowledge rest on outdated education and assumptions?

A wound care certified physician says his peers often ignore the scientific evidence on effective treatments that form wound care standards.

This is problematic because success in wound care requires understanding basic principles and evidence.

With this in mind, we developed our multi-disciplinary course in Skin and Wound Management to build the ranks of competent, certified specialists.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Assessment, Education, Wild On Wounds, Wound and Skin Management, Wound Care, Wound Care Education Institute | No Comments »

Colostomy irrigation: Learn how at WOW

September 3rd, 2019

Wild on Wounds speaker Anita Prinz, RN, MSN, CWOCN, will share pointers this month at our national conference on colostomy irrigation as a life-changing ostomy management alternative to pouching.

One of the most important and rewarding aspects of working with ostomy patients is helping them adapt to life with a stoma.

A supportive and caring healthcare provider can make all the difference, educating patients on the best ostomy management practices for their schedule and lifestyle.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Education, OSTOMY, ostomy management, stoma management, Wild On Wounds, Wound Care, Wound Care Education Institute | No Comments »

One patient’s perspective on how to adapt to living with an ostomy bag

August 27th, 2019

Collin Jarvis was 21, athletic and a captain of his university’s track and cross-country teams.

He was about to enter his senior year at the University of California, Berkeley when he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

Only eight months later, in March 2014, Jarvis’ condition unexpectedly worsened and he had to undergo an emergency colectomy.

Jarvis said he never expected to develop complications from his illness so soon. After his surgery, he found himself living a totally different life than he ever imagined — as a person with an ileostomy.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in OSTOMY, ostomy management, Wild On Wounds, Wound Care | No Comments »

Don’t be a wound dabbler: Proper wound care must be science based

August 19th, 2019

Ever wonder where clinicians come up with some of the treatments we unfortunately see in wound care today?

By Bill Richlen, PT, WCC, DWC

Does it leave you scratching your head or pulling out your hair? I am sure there are plenty of wound care examples we could discuss for hours (with plenty of laughs).

Yet that doesn’t solve the problem or change the hearts and minds of clinicians — or wound dabblers — who feel those treatments are proper wound care.

Here’s a look at a few “inappropriate” treatments I have come across in my years as a wound specialist.

Let’s dissect them to understand what the “rationale” may have been and discuss why common sense, logic and scientific evidence doesn’t support them as proper wound care.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Assessment, Education, Moist Wound Dressing, Wound and Skin Management, Wound Care, Wound Care Education Institute | Comments Off on Don’t be a wound dabbler: Proper wound care must be science based

Skin and wound management course helps you prep smart

August 12th, 2019

“We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.” – Thomas Edison

Nancy Morgan, MBA, BSN, RN, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS

As the inventor of the phonograph, the motion-picture camera and, of course, the electric light bulb, Edison took on plenty of challenges in his time.

For healthcare clinicians of today, one of the biggest challenges is chronic wounds, which include diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers and venous, arterial leg ulcers. An estimated 67 million people are suffering with chronic wounds across the globe.

According to our co-founder Nancy Morgan, MBA, BSN, RN, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS, “as of last count, 6.5 million chronic wounds are being treated in the U.S., at a cost of $11 billion — not to mention the pain and suffering for patients.”

The reason, said Morgan, is patients are living longer with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Education, pressure injuries, Wound and Skin Management, Wound Care, Wound Care Education Institute | Comments Off on Skin and wound management course helps you prep smart

Nurse expert witness impacts pressure injury case

August 5th, 2019

Many of you have provided expert testimony in lawsuits in your own state, or other states, concerning wound care and whether that care was consistent with the applicable standard of care and standards of practice in that situation.

By Nancy J. Brent, MS, JD, RN

The following Arizona case — Rasor and Donald Miller, Wife and Husband, v. Northwest Hospital LLC — determined if a wound care nurse expert could testify to the cause of a wound sustained by the plaintiff (patient).

The female patient had open-heart surgery at the hospital and received an intra-aortic balloon pump “threatened through her femoral artery.” This required immobilization of her leg.

The patient was in the ICU for several days and the nursing staff discovered a pressure injury on her coccyx that reached stage IV and required 31 debridement procedures.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Legal, Litigation Wound Care, pressure injuries, pressure ulcers, Wound Care, Wound Care Education Institute | Comments Off on Nurse expert witness impacts pressure injury case

Instructor takes wound care education across South Pacific

July 29th, 2019

When Nancy Morgan, MBA, BSN, RN, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS, began her career in wound care, she never imagined her work would someday take her to American Samoa.

By Carole Jakucs, MSN, RN, PHN

In June 2019, it did just that. Morgan, who co-founded the Wound Care Education Institute (WCEI), spent three days consulting with Samoan clinicians on specific wound patients and presented a one-day formal wound care class.

At the same time, she enjoyed a life-changing experience by connecting with her newly discovered people, culture and nation.

Adopted at the tender age of five days old, Morgan grew up an only child. Even though her adoptive parents were wonderful and Morgan said she felt blessed, as time went on she yearned to learn who her biological parents were.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Diabetic Foot, Diabetic Wound Care, Diabetic Wound Certification, Education, Nutrition, Wound and Skin Management, Wound Care Education Institute | Comments Off on Instructor takes wound care education across South Pacific

Study: Wound care certified nurses reduce pressure injury rates

July 23rd, 2019

Just how much of an impact do wound care certified (WCC) nurses and other clinicians have on their patients? More than you might imagine.

By Carole Jakucs, MSN, RN, PHN

A formal study was conducted under the auspices of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) program known as the Hospital Improvement Innovation Network (HIIN). The findings of the study revealed a correlation with the presence of onsite WCC staff and a reduction in pressure injury rates for patients.

More than 2.5 million people in the U.S. are affected by pressure injuries, and more than 60,000 patients die each year as a direct result of the condition, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The HIIN study was funded by a grant program through the CMS using civil monetary penalty funds. These funds are used to support projects that benefit patients and residents of nursing homes with the goal of improving the quality of care they receive.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in pressure injuries, pressure injury staging, pressure ulcers, Wound Care, Wound Care Costs | Comments Off on Study: Wound care certified nurses reduce pressure injury rates

FIRST things first when evaluating wound healing research

July 18th, 2019

You hear more and more about evidence-based wound care. But what does that mean and how can you tell when a study is a good one?

By Bill Richlen, PT, WCC, DWC

To evaluate the reliability of wound healing research, you can use the acronym FIRST to help. Here’s what each step means.

F — Funding

Who funded the study? Was the data published for the financial gain of a company?

You should compare these studies to other existing data to determine whether the results are true or manipulated. Studies funded by a manufacturer, or those in which the researchers and authors have a financial relationship with the manufacturer, tend to be biased.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Assessment, Education, Technology, Wound Care | Comments Off on FIRST things first when evaluating wound healing research

Learn how written discharge instructions can protect your practice

July 16th, 2019

Accurate, complete and defensive documentation is essential in all areas of practice, and wound care nursing is no exception.

By Nancy J. Brent, MS, JD, RN

One component of documentation that is of utmost importance is written discharge instructions. In the following case, this was one of the central issues the federal court had to evaluate — Shelton v. United States, 804 F. Supp. 1147.

The patient sought treatment at a VA hospital after he was bitten on the tip of the middle finger of his right hand during an altercation with a female after they left a bar.

The wound was painful and bleeding. He called 911, stating he had been shot. He would not allow the paramedics to examine his finger.

The ED admitting nurse noted on the admission form he had suffered “trauma” to his right middle finger. He was then seen by an ED physician, whom he told he was bitten and that he had been shot.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Assessment, Infection, Legal, Litigation Wound Care, Wound and Skin Management, Wound Care, Wound Care Education Institute | Comments Off on Learn how written discharge instructions can protect your practice

What happens when orders don’t meet wound care standards

Does your ordering clinician’s wound care knowledge rest on outdated education and assumptions?

Colostomy irrigation: Learn how at WOW

Wild on Wounds speaker Anita Prinz, RN, MSN, CWOCN, will share pointers this month at our national conference on colostomy irrigation as a life-changing ostomy management alternative to pouching.

One patient’s perspective on how to adapt to living with an ostomy bag

Collin Jarvis was 21, athletic and a captain of his university’s track and cross-country teams.

Don’t be a wound dabbler: Proper wound care must be science based

Ever wonder where clinicians come up with some of the treatments we unfortunately see in wound care today?

Skin and wound management course helps you prep smart

“We should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.” – Thomas Edison

Nurse expert witness impacts pressure injury case

Many of you have provided expert testimony in lawsuits in your own state, or other states, concerning wound care and whether that care was consistent with the applicable standard of care and standards of practice in that situation.

Instructor takes wound care education across South Pacific

When Nancy Morgan, MBA, BSN, RN, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS, began her career in wound care, she never imagined her work would someday take her to American Samoa.

Study: Wound care certified nurses reduce pressure injury rates

Just how much of an impact do wound care certified (WCC) nurses and other clinicians have on their patients? More than you might imagine.

FIRST things first when evaluating wound healing research

You hear more and more about evidence-based wound care. But what does that mean and how can you tell when a study is a good one?

F — Funding

Learn how written discharge instructions can protect your practice

Accurate, complete and defensive documentation is essential in all areas of practice, and wound care nursing is no exception.

Search All Posts

Don’t miss the latest wound care news! Subscribe to receive our newsletter to your inbox.