Development of a pathway of care for venous leg ulcer management

The lived experience of community nurses treating clients with leg ulcers

Chronic leg ulceration impacts negatively on the quality of life of the sufferer and has financial implications for the economy. Government health policy aims to tackle long-term conditions and restructure services from acute to community care. Community nurses play a pivotal role in managing and co-ordinating care to leg ulcer patients, yet their personal experience in this clinical situation is poorly explored. This qualitative study aims to gain an understanding of community nurses' personal experience of treating clients with leg ulcers; this is necessary to develop leg ulcer services which are effective, efficient and client-centred.

Are community leg ulcer clinics more cost-effective than home care visits?

The literature suggests that leg ulcer clinics are more expensive than home visits, but are associated with faster healing times. Providing district nurses with better postgraduate education on wound care may make better use of this resource.

Compression bandaging: avoiding pressure damage

Venous leg ulcers account for a large percentage of the financial and healthcare burden of chronic wounds, they are costly to treat both financially and in nursing time. The prerequisites for any healthcare professional to be able to provide safe, effective compression therapy bandaging for any patient must include knowledge, ability and proven competence. Without such competence the patient is vulnerable to harm and the nurse is open to criticism, disciplinary action by the Nursing and Midwifery Council or even litigation. Pressure damage to patients' skin under compression therapy can occur due to a number of factors and it is the responsibility of a registered nurse to ensure compression bandaging is safely and expertly applied.