GPN Academy, partnered by HARTMANN

The GPN Academy, brought to you in partnership with HARTMANN, contains useful educational resources to help with both your clinical and personal development. All activities count towards CPD time and can be recorded in the GPN revalidation zone as evidence of your individual learning.

Click here for an overview of HARTMANN's partnership with the Journal of Practice Nursing and the GPN Academy: Going further to support general practice nurse education
(PDF download)

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Welcome to the GPN Academy personal development area. As a clinician, you will be aware of the need for personal development, and to help you with this, you are advised to have a personal development portfolio.

This should contain your career goals and a realistic plan of what you need to do to get to where you want to be. Indeed, keeping your aims in mind and having SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based) goals can help give you direction and stay focused, despite busy schedules and pressures at work. In turn, this means you will be better equipped to:

Communicate effectively both with colleagues and patients
Overcome challenges
Make better decisions
Stay on track.

So, whether you are a new general practice nurse unfamiliar with the business responsibilities of your role, or have been in post for a while and want to take on new challenges and meet new goals, e.g. better communication or educating, this area offers advice and resources to help you achieve your aims. However, if there is something you would like to see, please let us know.

E-LEARNING MODULES

This series of e-learning modules will help to develop your wound care skills while also gaining CPD time. Having read a module, there is the opportunity to reflect on what you have learnt with the accompanying MCQs and then download a certificate as evidence of your individual learning.

WOUND EXUDATE: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT

The goal of exudate control is to ensure a balance between too much and too little. This module looks at the role of exudate, its assessment and management. It also explores the key aims of symptom control, which are to optimise exudate volume and protect peri-wound skin, thereby improving patient quality of life by preventing leakage, controlling odour and reducing pain.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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DEBRIDEMENT

Debridement involves the removal of necrotic tissue, slough, and any other type of bioburden from a wound in order to allow granulation and epithelialisation to occur and ultimately promote healing. This module looks at why debridement is an essential component of wound management and periwound skin care, the importance of holistic patient-centred care when deciding upon the most appropriate method of debridement, and the three main techniques used in primary care.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SKIN AND THE WOUND HEALING PROCESS

Having a good understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the skin can help support and direct the skills used to assess and manage patients’ skin following injury. This module describes the three main layers of the skin and discusses skin pH and the impact that this has on skin care. It also looks at the functions of the skin and the affects of ageing, as well as explaining the phases of wound healing and why holistic wound assessment is vital.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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WOUND ASSESSMENT

A systematic and holistic approach to wound assessment is vital to ensure the delivery of high quality wound care. This module looks at what is involved in comprehensive assessment, including both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that can affect wound healing, the importance of examining the periwound skin, as well as being aware of and identifying biofilm in chronic wounds.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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UNDERSTANDING SKIN TEARS

Skin tears are common injuries among the elderly population. Thus, it is important to be aware of risk factors and how to prevent these acute, traumatic wounds. This module looks at the structure of the skin and how this relates to skin tears. It discusses how and why skin tears should be classified, as well as their intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors. Assessment of skin tears is also explored, together with factors to consider when managing skin tears.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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UNDERSTANDING SELF-MANAGEMENT

Promoting supported self-management is key during the current healthcare climate. This module explains how self-management fits with the national agenda and how it can release nursing time. It particularly looks at how self-care can help in managing wounds and conditions of the lower limb, and how to achieve wound management by virtual clinics.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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UNDERSTANDING WOUND INFECTION

Wound infection can have a considerable impact both on wound healing and patient quality of life. Thus, it is important to be able to identify both risk factors and the clinical signs and symptoms of wound infection. This module looks at how to assess, diagnose and treat wound infection, as well as the role that biofilm plays in delayed healing.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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NUTRITION AND HYDRATION IN WOUND MANAGMENT

The importance of good nutritional status and hydration is well established in patients with wounds, as any deficiency will prolong the healing process and increase the risk of developing a pressure ulcer. This module looks at the nutritional requirements (macro and micronutrients) needed at each stage of the wound healing process, as well as offering practical information on assessment/screening and how to identify those most at risk of malnutrition and/or dehydration. Guidance and practical advice on managing and supporting patients who are malnourished and/or dehydrated is also provided.

Up to 45 minutes of CPD

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JOURNAL ARTICLES

These wound care-related articles, which have appeared in the Journal of General Practice Nursing, focus on vital skills needed in day-to-day clinical practice to help improve outcomes for patients with wounds.

PRODUCTS IN PRACTICE

GPNs not only need to keep their clinical skills up to date, but also their knowledge of different wound care products. These modules cover all you need to know about a product in one place, with useful summaries of underpinning evidence to support their use in practice. Having read the module, you can also test your knowledge and then log your certificate in the GPN revalidation zone.