Assess, negotiate, treat: community prescribing for chronic wounds.
The cost of prescribing wound-care products in general practice in 1999 exceeded  95 million (Department of Health (DoH), 1999a). However, there is a lack of randomized controlled trials to assess the effectiveness of wound-care products (National Prescribing Centre, 1999a) and there is evidence that non-effective treatments are being prescribed (DoH, 1999a). Use of the prescribing pyramid, as taught during nurse prescribing courses, may help community nurses justify their decisions and assess their wound-care practices. Wounds commonly encountered in the community include pressure sores, leg ulcers, fungating wounds and cavity wounds. The ideal choice of product is one that allows moist wound healing, is cost effective, clinically effective and acceptable to the patient.
Bentley
J
J
Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, King's College, London.
D001458:Bandages / Q000191:economics; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000191:economics; D009737:Nursing Records; D006113:United Kingdom; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*