Setting a standard for leg ulcer assessment.
District nurses in one division of Highland Communities NHS Trust set a standard for the assessment of leg ulcers and audited their practice against it. The standard was that 'each patient referred with a leg ulcer is assessed by a trained nurse, using the agreed ulcer assessment form and Doppler ultrasound, within two weeks of referral'. This paper describes the audit processes which have led to the development of a multidisciplinary team approach for the management of leg ulcers in the community. It was found that only 30% (n = 7) of the nurses surveyed met with the required standard. The survey will be repeated following the official implementation of the standard.
Elliot
E
E
Russell
B
B
Jaffrey
G
G
D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000451:nursing*; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography