Wound Debridement: an Evidence Based Practice - Essay Example

Wound Debridement: An Evidence Based Practice Introduction Debridement has originated from ‘debrider’, a French word, meaning unbridle. It is regarded as the procedure of removing contaminated tissue from or adjoining to a distressing or infected wound until an adjacent healthy tissue gets visible. Apparently noted, conservative sharp wound debridement (CSWD) is the technique of removing dead tissue over the level of healthy tissue with the help of a scalpel. It is considered to be an aggressive debridement form of technique undertaken by healthcare workers (Jain, 2014; Canadian Association for Enterostomal Therapy, 2010). Accordingly, the essay intends to summarize and evaluate two particular research studies based on the current evidence practice of a specific protocol or procedure i.e. wound debridement. Summarization and Evaluation of the Selected Research Articles a. Purpose/Problem Statement Of The Study The purpose of the first article i.e. ‘EWMA Document: Debridement’ was to provide a vibrant explanation about the universal process of debridement along with creating a proposal for an organized method so as to choose amid the suitable techniques of wound debridement. These techniques comprised ‘Mechanical Debridement’, ‘Sharp Debridement’, ‘Larve Therapy’, ‘Autolytic or Enzymatic Debridement’, ‘Jet Lavage or Ultrasound’ and ‘Surgical Debridement.’ In addition, the article provides an outline for varied options of debridement, the definition of probabilities and limits for standard debridement options along with explicit potentials while using those practically (Strohal et al., 2013). Conversely, the purpose of the second article i.e. “The Nursing Practice of Conservative Sharp Wound Debridement: Promotion, Education and Proficiency” was to outline the practicality of CSWD in treating wounds. Accordingly, the article puts emphasis on establishing a requirement of educational programs that are inclined towards providing practice-based training to the nurses in healthcare facilities. Moreover, the article intends to promote, educate and induce proficiency within nurses carrying out CSWD in order to deliver quality service to the patients (Harris, 2009). b. Study Design Data collection in the first article was based on analyzing the function of debridement in the area of healing wounds. The information presented in the article fundamentally gathered from varied secondary sources such as journal articles and books so as to prepare a document for the European Wound Management Association (Strohal et al., 2013). Similarly, data collection in the second article was found to be typically based on understanding the complications of wound treatments used by nurses in Canada, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). In addition, descriptive statistics of various other articles have been taken into concern while preparing this article (Harris, 2009). c. Study Sample Including Appropriateness Of Sample To Population Of Student’s Interest The study sample in the first article can be demonstrated from the databases gathered from the sources i.e. Embase along with Medline and the Cochrane containing numerous journal articles in relation to the research field of wound debridement. Apart from these, randomized controlled studies, reviews and relative studies of debridement were also used as sample study in this article. It can be further affirmed that the article was quite appropriate for enhancing the knowledge of students and increasing their interests towards the field of wound debridement (Strohal et al., 2013). The study sample in the second article was depicted through the supportive data gathered from classic and modern literatures that identify the significant function of debridement in wound management and treatment. The primary sample used in this article is the nurses who were engaged as wound-care practitioners in diverse healthcare units. It can be further asserted that the article was highly appropriate for attracting huge population of students’ interests along with increasing their knowledge of diverse wound debridement techniques (Harris, 2009). d. How Data Were Collected Including Any Apparent Strengths/Weaknesses Related To Data Collection The data in the first article was mainly collected through accessing literatures that helped in identifying various techniques of wound debridement. As mentioned above, the primary source of data in the first article was mainly the databases gathered from Embase as well as Medline and the Cochrane that provides relevant idea about wound debridement. It has been apparent that the data collected through systematic reviews and studies was strong and realistic in nature, which determines one of the strengths of the article. However, in terms of weakness in data collection, it is considered that interviewing nurses engaged in wound debridement process would have been useful for acquiring relevant and useful data (Strohal et al., 2013). Data collection in second article was mainly conducted through reviewing literatures that emphasized the role of debridement in treating wounds. In addition, nursing policies of wound debridement across Canada are evaluated for data collection that determines one of the strengths of the article. However, in relation to the articles’ weakness, it is considered that an in-depth analysis of different kind of wounds along with their symptoms might prove to be quiet beneficial while acquiring valuable data (Harris, 2009). e. Results Of The Study From the analysis of the first article, certain results were obtained. The results obtained from the article represented that both surgical and sharp debridement have proved to be widely used techniques for treating wounds. Nurses require taking certain precautions while using these techniques. Sharp debridement technique is relatively cheaper as compared to surgical debridement. The key benefit of these techniques is that these rapidly remove dead tissues in an effective manner. It is worth mentioning that a complete patient appraisal by the nurses in healthcare units is an essential pre-requisite to identify a suitable technique of debridement (Strohal et al., 2013). After analyzing the second article, it could be identified that CSWD is effective in terms of its cost and quickness for healing wounds. However, this technique involves high extent of risks that might affect the health conditions of the patients at large. Wound-care experts require to be promoted so as to ensure that CSWD is available for patients as per their requirement. Service providers of CSWD must ensure that they follow certain principles before engaging into any kind of wound treating task. Additionally, it is considered that CSWD services must be provided in a multidisciplinary structure ensuring the deliverance of safe, moral and proficient care to the individuals (Harris, 2009). f. Discussion Of The Results, Including Specifically How The Results Are Integrated Into The Procedure/Protocol It has been apparently observed in the first article that surgical and sharp debridement were renowned for treating wounds. It is often considered that both surgical and sharp debridement are integrated with the protocol of wound debridement, wherein sharp debridement is viewed to be cheaper form of wound debridement and surgical debridement to be an expensive one. It would be vital to mention that utmost care ought to be taken into concern by the nurses while treating wounds so as to ensure that the patients are not harmed and the wounds are not exposed to foreign bodies. In addition, nurses must completely appraise the patients to ascertain an appropriate debridement technique. It can be further mentioned that this appraisal is highly integrated with the protocol of wound debridement (Strohal et al., 2013). Similarly, one of the prime results obtained from the second article was that CSWD technique is an effective protocol for wound debridement as it quickly heals any wound along with being cost-effective. As the technique involves huge risks for the patients, nurses must ensure that the structures of diverse healthcare units are supportive for undertaking any task relating to the technique efficiently. Furthermore, the nurses must be well equipped and trained to perform the protocol of wound debridement through following certain inherent principles and standards (Harris, 2009). Conclusion From the above analysis and interpretation of the selected two articles, it can be inferred that numerous techniques have been developed for wound debridement that are normally used by the nurses as per the patients’ requirements. Specially mentioning, healthcare units require developing a culture of practice-based learning, which will help in enhancing the skills and knowledge of nurses engaged in the practice of wound debridement. Moreover, nurses must identify the requirements of patients while delivering varied healthcare services in order to ensure that utmost care is provided to the patients. Hence, nurses must be trained for using various technologies like lasers for inducing precision and safety in the service delivery process associated with the aspect of would debridement. References Canadian Association for Enterostomal Therapy. (2010). Evidence-Based recommendations for conservative sharp wound debridement. Retrieved from http://www.caet.ca/caet-english/documents/caet-conservative-sharp-wound-debridement-bpr.pdf Harris, R. J. (2009). The nursing practice of conservative sharp wound debridement: Promotion, education and proficiency. Wound Care Canada, 7(1), 22-30. Jain, A. K. C. (2014). A new classification of debridement in diabetic lower limb. Medicine Science, 3(1), 991-1001. Strohal, R., Dissemond, J., O’Brien, J. J., Jordan, J., Piaggesi, A., Rimdeika, R., Young, T., & Apelqvist, J. (2013). EWMA document: Debridement. Journal of Wound Care, 22(1), S1–S52. Read More