title: CE: Preventing, Assessing, and Managing Skin Tears: A Clinical Review.
abstract: : Although skin tears are common, particularly among older adults and neonates, they are often inadequately documented and poorly managed, resulting in complications, extended hospital stays, and negative patient outcomes. In this article, the first in a series on wound care in collaboration with the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists (www.wcetn.org), the authors describe the complications that developed in an elderly patient whose skin tear was improperly dressed and discuss best practices for preventing, assessing, documenting, and managing skin tears.
authors.affiliation: Sharon Baranoski is an advanced practice nurse and president of Wound Care Dynamics, Inc, Shorewood, IL. Kimberly LeBlanc is a PhD student and a fellow in the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Mary Gloeckner is an ostomy wound clinical nurse specialist in the Wound Outreach Department at UnityPoint Health-Trinity in Bettendorf, IA. Sharon Baranoski and Kimberly LeBlanc are cochairs, and Mary Gloeckner is a member, of the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel. Contact author: Sharon Baranoski, nrsebear@aol.com. The authors and planners have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baranoski
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gloeckner
mesh_terms: D004496:Education, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000451:nursing*