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Wound care remains a high-priority area for improvement in the Canadian health care system. Older adults aged 65 and older are disproportionately affected by chronic and non-healing wounds and often experience multiple co-morbid conditions, challenges which can be further complicated by living in rural and northern areas. A workshop-based multi-methods study was conducted to describe rural and northern perspectives on opportunities and feasibility to implement innovative wound care technologies. Each workshop included pre- and post- workshop surveys, a live demonstration of Swift Skin and Wound, a Q&A session, and facilitated discussion exploring the technology's feasibility, usability, and accessibility in northern and rural care contexts. Participants who volunteered for the study included care staff and healthcare executives (N = 11), described their perspectives on implementing AI-driven digital wound care management solutions with a focus on integration into health care settings. Three themes were identified including: confidence and optimism in improving wound care management, recognition of the superiority of AI-driven digital wound care solutions over current practices, and the importance of adaptable change processes for successful adoption. While generalizability may be limited, findings suggest that adopting AI-driven wound care tools could improve wound assessment accuracy and streamline care for aging populations in rural and northern areas.
To develop a concise Consensus Statement on the management of venous leg ulcers (VLUs) that incorporates existing standards and guidance on new technology, including improvement of calf muscle pump function and the utilisation of advanced wound therapies. A multidisciplinary panel of 19 wound healthcare providers from across Canada, who treat patients with VLUs, was formed. A draft document was created and four rounds of consultation and feedback were sought from the panel. The Consensus Statement was completed in June 2024 with 100% consensus on 20 sections and > 85% consensus on the remaining three sections. The key elements are—Clinical assessment and investigations; Treatment-compression to improve calf muscle pump function, and wound treatment with the principles of Wound Bed Preparation; When not healing or only suboptimal compression can be used - add treatment with muscle pump activator by continuous Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation of the common peroneal nerve to improve calf muscle pump function; When VLUs are not healing with optimal therapy - an algorithm for the use of advanced wound therapies; and Prevention of VLU recurrence. The Consensus Statement is a concise guide for healthcare providers to use at the bedside and has been endorsed by leading nursing and homecare associations in Canada that also have physician representation.
This study describes characteristics and factors associated with cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 encountered across acute inpatient, and critical care units in a large Southeastern USA public hospital from March 1, 2020, through November 01, 2021. A retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted on a purposive sample of patients consulted for non-pressure injury related cutaneous wounds while positive for COVID-19. Patients were predominantly male (64.3%, n = 27), White (66.7%, n = 28) and Black (33.3%). No cutaneous wounds while positive for COVID-19 were observed for Hispanic patients. Patient mortality was 71.4% (n = 30). Gender distribution was proportionate by gender (67% were male) and race (65.5% were White) for deceased patients. Body mass index (BMI) ranged from 15.8 to 61.2 with a mean of 31.9 (SD = 10.76) and median BMI 28.7. Identification of cutaneous manifestations of COVID-19 and understanding of the retiform purpura pathophysiology could prove useful in guiding COVID-19 treatment regimens. Investigation into factors preventing complement cascading in those of Hispanic ethnicity may be useful in the prevention of CMC-19 and progression of severity of illness.
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