Back to the Basics: Wound Assessment, Management, and Documentation.

Due to the plethora of wound care products on the market and varying physician practices, it can be very confusing for home healthcare clinicians to recommend and provide the best wound care. As a result, many outdated or ritual practices are still being used to manage wounds. Assessment, management, and documentation are the basis of delivering evidence-based wound care.

Chronic venous insufficiency: A review for nurses.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a potentially debilitating disorder associated with serious complications such as lower extremity venous ulcers. This article reviews the incidence and pathophysiology of CVI, nursing assessment, diagnosis and interventions, and patient education needed to manage the disease and prevent complications.

Urostomy Care: A Guide for Home Care Clinicians.

This article focuses on the care and management of patients living with a urostomy. Improved surgical techniques and shortened hospital stays result in more patients receiving home care in the immediate postoperative period after surgical creation of a urostomy. It is important that home care clinicians have the knowledge and skills to manage the care of patients with a urostomy from hospital discharge to self-care.

Ileostomy Care: A Guide for Home Care Clinicians.

This article focuses on the care and management of patients living with an ileostomy. Due to shortened hospital stays, patient teaching related to self-care of ostomies has shifted from the hospital to the home setting. It is important for home care clinicians to be knowledgeable about all aspects of ostomy care.

Colostomy Care: A Guide for Home Care Clinicians.

Surgical creation of a colostomy can have significant physical, emotional, and social effects. Adapting to a new ostomy can be overwhelming and interventions aimed at decreasing barriers to self-care should be a priority for home care patients. Advances in surgical procedures, coupled with decreased length of hospital stays, require home care clinicians to have the skills and knowledge to care for this population through postoperative recovery and the initial phases of learning self-care.

A Resource Guide to Improve Nursing Care and Transition to Self-Care for Patients With Ostomies.

Clinical management of patients with an ostomy can be complex and stressful. With only 10% of Wound Ostomy Incontinence Nurses working in home health, home healthcare nurses need to be knowledgeable about care of patients with new ostomies. This article provides an overview of the resources available to guide nurses caring for ostomy patients.