Advances in Wound Care: A Review of Best Practices in Nursing-An Updated Review Article

Abstract

Background: Wounds, whether acute or chronic, pose significant challenges in healthcare due to their prevalence and complexity. These injuries can lead to prolonged recovery periods, tissue necrosis, and increased healthcare costs. Wound healing involves a series of predictable stages, but chronic wounds, often arising from conditions like diabetes and pressure ulcers, may fail to progress through these stages, leading to complications. Despite advancements in wound care, including various technologies and products, the treatment of chronic wounds remains a significant challenge.

Aim: The aim of this review is to summarize the best practices in nursing for the management of wounds, emphasizing the role of emerging technologies and advanced treatment modalities in enhancing wound healing outcomes.

Methods: This review synthesizes recent literature on wound care practices, highlighting various wound types, stages of healing, and emerging treatment technologies. The review discusses standard care protocols, such as debridement, infection prevention, and the use of specific dressings, along with the latest advancements in wound care, including biologic products, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), and tissue-engineering approaches.

Results: Key findings from this review indicate that while traditional wound care methods, including debridement and infection control, remain crucial, emerging technologies such as negative pressure wound therapy, biologics, and advanced dressings are improving healing times and outcomes. New approaches targeting cellular mechanisms and extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicry offer promising therapeutic avenues. The integration of growth factors, stem cell therapies, and biophysical signals into wound care products has shown potential in accelerating the healing process.

Conclusion: Wound care has evolved significantly through innovations in technologies and treatments. Nurses play a critical role in managing both acute and chronic wounds, applying advanced therapies and evidence-based practices to improve healing outcomes. Continued research into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of wound healing is essential to develop more effective and targeted treatments, reducing the burden on healthcare systems.