ABSTRACT
The maintenance of skin integrity and management of acute and chronic wounds
is a major component of nursing care, relevant to all care settings (Bryant 2007).
It is a developing field, with new technologies and research continually emerging
(Gray et al. 2004). The nurse’s role in wound care stretches from the initial holistic
assessment of the wound and the patient, to making the correct decisions about
treatment. Regular evaluation and setting of goals is essential to monitor the
progress of the wound, and this should include the involvement of patients in the
decision-making process. This chapter aims to assist you to develop knowledge and
understanding of the breadth of issues involved with wound healing physiology,
and to apply this to your practice.
