Abstract
Over the last century, nurses’ involvement in wound management has ranged from that of following strict dressing regimes to autonomous practice 1. In the past, nurse education tended to reinforce the expectations of the time. An adherence to apprenticeship-style training, whereby nurses often had little understanding of the effects of the dressing they were applying to a wound, contributed significantly to a theory-practice gap in wound management. Nurses were not actively involved in the decision-making process. This paper reviews the means by which nurses have learned wound management skills in the past. It also illustrates the use of the clinical effectiveness model in the education of advanced wound management practitioners. The benefits of using this model as a basis of teaching include encouragement of evidence-based practices in the workplace, a breaking down of research barriers and a sharing of the skills and knowledge of experienced clinicians intimately involved in the care of clients with wounds 2.

Abstract

Abstract
Wound care regimes have changed dramatically over the past 35 years. The principles of most types of wound healing have been investigated in detail and implemented with effect, as part of evidence-based wound healing practice compatible with the science of wound healing physiology. Occlusive dressings are important adjuncts to the armamentarium of the practitioner in charge of open wounds. Topical antibioticis and antiseptics are of limited use and toxic to healing tissue. There is a wide range of literature on the use of antiseptics and other products on chronic wounds. Of the commonly used products (hypochlorites, phenol derivatives, povidone iodine, quaternary ammonium compounds, chlorhexidine, silver compounds), only in the case of cadexomer povidone iodine does a comprehensive literature base support its use in decreasing the tissue load of bacteria and increasing the healing rates of wounds.

Abstract