4 / 24
4 JCN
Supplement 2016
In a clinic environment, limbs are
traditionally cleansed by placing
them in a bucket of water with
added emollients. However, this
practice poses manual handling
risks to healthcare professionals,
is time-consuming, and while
Effective debridement can
be achieved in a busy
clinic environment
cleansing is important for skin care,
it does not address the need
for debridement.
Indeed, the European Wound
Management Association (EWMA)
referred to debridement as the
deep removal of adherent, dead or
contaminated tissue from a wound
and highlighted that this procedure
should be separated from the act of
cleansing, which it defined as the
removal of dirt (lose metabolic waste
and foreign materials) from the
wound (EWMA, 2013).
Debriding is also an important
component of wound bed preparation,
as it:
Allows greater visibility of
the wound if all debris has
been removed, thereby aiding
assessment
Improves skin integrity, enabling
it to be an effective barrier against
environmental elements, toxins
and bacteria
Gives general practice nurses
(GPNs) the opportunity to
identify other symptoms, e.g.
hyperkeratosis, dermatitis, etc
General practice nurses (GPNs) see patients with a wide variety of healthcare problems
including chronic wounds, such as leg ulcers. Effective wound management requires a holistic
approach, including wound bed preparation, which is essential to the wound healing process.
Dead and contaminated tissue harbours bacteria and is a barrier to healing. Wound bed
preparation involves the removal of dead and contaminated tissue by debridement, creating a
wound environment that is less favourable to bacteria and supports healing.
This feature asks experts in their particular field to take a look at a therapy area and
examine some of the challenges that general practice nurses (GPNs) may face. Here, we
look at wound cleansing and ask how...
Helps patients to feel cleaner,
particularly if they have been
unable to wash due to dressings/
compression bandaging.
There are a number of debridement
techniques available, which healthcare
professionals should be aware of so
that they choose the most appropriate
method for the patient and their
wound (Vowden andVowden, 2011).
One easy and effective method is the
use of debridement cloths, which can
also be used by patients themselves
between nurse visits.
WHAT IS UCS
™
?
UCS
™
(medi UK) is a sterile,
pre-moistened debridement
THE ANSWER
Audrey Gillies works as part of the
wound care team in medi UK, offering
clinical support. She has a 15-year
history of working in wound care
Ask the expert
THE PROBLEM