Basic Wound Management

Given the high rates of diabetes and other health issues facing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, basic wound care is an integral part of all practitioner’s work in Aboriginal health services. Nurses and Aboriginal health care practitioners take a leading role in the assessment and management of wounds in any primary health care environments. Individualised care plans are required to optimise healing, however, the basic principles of wound care are applied in all approaches to wound care.

This module is intended as a brief refresher for all nurses and Aboriginal health care practitioners. It discusses the principles of wound care including a collaborative approach to care; comprehensive patient assessment; care planning; appropriate selection and implementation of a wound management technique; and detailed documentation.

At the end of this module participants will be able to:

• Have a refreshed knowledge of the principles of wound care
• Gain an understanding of the basics of wound assessment
• Have a refreshed knowledge of the basic techniques to be applied in wound dressing technique
• Know the dressing choices for basic wounds