Wound Management: Vascular Assessment And High Risk Wounds Workshop

SYNOPSIS
The first step to wound management is to complete an holistic assessment. For a patient with a lower leg ulcer a focused assessment is essential. We need to establish the wound history and gain as much information as possible to diagnose the ulcer type.

Understanding the wound type and differentiating between venous and arterial wounds determines our management plan. A vascular assessment assesses lower leg circulation and starts with an in-depth clinical examination. High risk foot wounds may be preventable and a first line assessment is key to prevention and referral to a specialist team for ongoing management.

This workshop explores vascular assessment and presentation and will include dopplers and assessment of the high risk foot.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At this workshop, you will:

Gain an understanding of assessment of lower limb including recording an Ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI)
Distinguish between venous & arterial disease and the implications to clinical care
Explore assessment & preventative care for wounds on a high risk foot
Gain an understanding of the nurses role as part of the multidisciplinary team in managing the person with high risk vascular ulcers