Caring for people whose acute wounds require immediate closure workshop

Staff working in the community, Walk-In Centres, Urgent Care Units and the Emergency Department are likely to encounter people who have sustained acute wounds that need treatment. Assessing whether they require immediate closure of the wound and by whom, is usually the remit of the nursing staff. This workshop will develop and deepen your skills to undertake this or to give appropriate information if a referral to another healthcare professional is required. How to accurately document will also be covered.

This workshop will consider: the principles of wound healing; the mechanical aspects of wound closure; the importance of checking tetanus immunisation status. It will cover the importance of good communication and of ensuring that the patient is spoken to in a non-jargon language that is understandable to them and is relevant to their lifestyle. The aspects of health education to assist them to care for their wound and the best nutrition & hydration to promote optimal healing will be explored. The gold standard practice of treating each person that you care for as a unique individual with personal health care needs will be debated.

Your course leader for this Carrot Learning course is fMs Claire Picton. MSc Nursing (Education), Emergency Nurse Practitioner Course, Registered General Nurse.

About your course Leader

Claire commenced nurse training in 1976 and worked clinically in Emergency Care until 2014, 11 years of which she was the Consultant in Emergency Care Nursing, except for the years when Claire was a Senior Lecturer primarily educating Registered Nurses to become specialist Emergency Care nurses, with some teaching on pre-registration courses. For 11 years Claire was editor of Emergency Nurse journal and for 9 years was committee member on the RCN Emergency Care Association forum. In 2015, she moved into the Care Home sector, where she found some unexpected similarities to Emergency Care Nursing, and took up post as Nurse Consultant – Practice Development. In addition, Claire is the Nurses’ Coach and Director of her own business CP Develops – CPD.

Key Learning Outcomes

• The assessment process to be used to ascertain whether immediate closure of the wound is required and which health care professional is the most appropriate one to be undertaking the procedure.
• Be aware of the evidence base relating to wound closure, including checking the tetanus immunisation status of the individual.
• Understand the principles of wound closure.
• Be able to advise the person with the wound on after care and any modifications of their lifestyle in the short-, medium- and long-term, including pain relief and when to seek additional help if there is a subsequent problem with wound.
• This Carrot Learning course will count towards NMC Revalidation Participatory Learning.

After Your Course

You will be connected to a peer group that you will be able to continue to discuss the topic and offer and receive peer support whilst implementing your learning.

Retain access to all the resources shared during the course.

You can download:

Your Course Certificate

Your Course reflections and your recorded actions from within the Carrot Learning platform.