Training new wound care nurses involves multiple approaches. In my last blog, I discussed how a hands on practicum and reading can reinforce what new nurses are learning during their first interactions with wound patients. Another avenue for teaching is wound related websites. Currently, there are several websites that provide in-depth wound education with a useful combination of written text and motion graphics. I prefer graphics rich content because it really helps “connect the dots” for so many of the visual learners out there. While each of these websites are created by wound product manufacturers, they all remain fairly product neutral. The first and one of the most impressive of these sites is Smith and Nephew’s Global Wound Academy.
Smith and Nephew’s Global Wound Academy offers CEUs through several modular courses. Sections include skin structure and blood composition, mechanisms of wound healing , an introduction to wound bed preparation, wound assessment, lower extremity ulcers, pressure ulcers: a guide to prevention, diabetic foot ulcers: prevention and management, dressing selection, infection management, and collagen. The website uses interactive animation graphics along with text in their courses. This site can be reached by going to: http://www.globalwoundacademy.com/

The Healthpoint Wound Institute contains fully accredited CE/CME programs including debridement: clinical and economic realities, anatomy and physiology of skin and underlying tissues, biology of the chronic wound, definition and etiology of wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, exploring debridement, principles of wound healing, treatment modalities, advances in enzymatic debridement, wound assessment and documentation, and the wound healing process. The website uses interactive animation graphics along with webcast streaming videos to convey their information to the student. This site can be reached by going to: http://www.thewoundinstitute.com/

KCI’s wound care education programs provide information and CEUs for clinicians including: assessment and documentation of pressure ulcers, etiology and interventions of pressure ulcers, wound assessment, operating room acquired pressure ulcers, AHRQ (AHCRP): treatment of pressure ulcers, and the wound healing process. The website uses interactive animation graphics along with text to educate the student. There is some product placement in the initial entry into the site. This site can be reached by going to: http://www.kciceproviderunit.com/, then click “Wound Care”.

The ConvaTec website has educational modules that focus on improving patient care outcomes. This includes skin tears, surgical wounds, pressure ulcers, and perineal dermatitis. The website uses streaming video of a presenter incorporated with a power point presentation. The company website provides no CE programs, but refers you to a site that has 2 CE classes available. This site can be reached by going to: http://academy.convatec.com/en/acd-home/acd-home/0/home/0/387/0/default....

As a visual learner I have always seen a benefit in providing multiple formats other than written text learning. These website based education programs can provide a unique multifaceted approach to wound care education. This is sure to help the new nurse lock in what they have seen during their day in the clinic. The next blog (the last in the wound education series) will discuss the last step in the new nurses’ learning experience. Including how the use of a team approach (with new and veteran employees) can provide a perfect environment for the solidification of their skill sets.