The number of patients with venous leg ulcers is growing as the population ages. Recent estimates indicate that 730,000 people with venous leg ulcers were treated in 2012/13 (Guest et al, 2015); a number that is predicted to increase year on year. Venous leg ulcers can be difficult to manage in some patients despite best practice, particularly in those with multiple comorbidities. These patients can develop chronic ulceration that can be present for months or even years in some cases. The cost of managing these patients presents a significant burden to the NHS. An evaluation was carried out to determine the efficacy of LQD® wound spray, a unique spray-on wound dressing that contains Chitosan FH02™, in promoting wound healing in patients with longstanding venous leg ulcers. The results indicated that LQD wound spray contributed to putting the wounds onto a healing trajectory.
Welcome to GPN’s learning zone. By reading the article in each issue, you can learn all about the key principles of subjects that are vital to your role as a general practice nurse. Once youhave read the article, evaluate your knowledge on this topic by answering the 10 questions in the e-learning unit; all answers can be found in the article. If you answer the questions correctly, you can download your certificate which can be used in your continuing professional development (CPD) portfolio as evidence of your continued learning and contribute to your revalidation portfolio.
This article highlights the role of general practice nurses (GPNs) in the care of a variety of wounds that are becoming
increasingly commonplace in primary care. GPNs have a unique opportunity to develop their skills in this field, articularly as there is a plethora of wound care products available to them on prescription. However, it is also the GPN’s professional duty to ensure that they have the understanding and knowledge necessary to use these products in a way that benefits patients clinically as well as providing cost-effective care.
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