ABSTRACT
Regardless of the amount of literature and evidence on leg ulcer management, there are still significant variations in treatment. Implementing a standardised leg ulcer pathway to ensure patients are appropriately and timely assessed could help reduce nursing time and overall costs, while improving healing outcomes and patients' quality of life. Such a pathway was introduced in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, UK, to treat venous leg ulcers (VLUs). The results showed improved healing times, reduced costs and fewer nurse visits, among other findings.
Subject(s)
Critical Pathways , Leg Ulcer/economics , Leg Ulcer/nursing , Wound Healing/physiology , Adult , Aged , Cost Savings , Humans , Leg Ulcer/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome , United Kingdom/epidemiology , Varicose Ulcer/economics , Varicose Ulcer/nursingABSTRACT
Mental health and tissue viability are not usually associated with each other, yet people with mental health problems may be more susceptible to developing wounds, particularly those who engage in self-harm. This article focuses on the management difficulties experienced by staff caring for patients with mental health problems presenting with wounds within Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust.
