A certified wound specialist is a nurse who has completed additional training in wound care. To ensure that he or she is prepared to clean, treat, and dress wounds from acute injuries and surgical procedures, a specialist must complete specific training and testing requirements. A certified wound specialist also provides expert advice and education on at-home wound care to patients and caregivers. A health-care professional might work in a general hospital, an emergency room, an assisted living facility, a home health agency, or another setting.
Wound care nurses working in emergency rooms are frequently confronted with severe wounds caused direct trauma. They treat wounds right away thoroughly cleaning them, applying antibiotics, and bandaging them. On a doctor’s recommendation, some nurses are qualified to stitch or suture wounds. Wound specialists in general hospital units typically perform similar tasks, but their focus is on promoting healing and patient education rather than emergency care.
A certified wound specialist can teach the patient how to care for his or her wounds at home after successful surgeries and inpatient hospital stays. The expert may demonstrate how to properly apply antibiotics or dress a lesion, as well as outline warning signs to look for that could indicate infection. In addition, the specialist can explain how to avoid future wounds and hospital visits based on the patient’s health and specific medical conditions.
Patients with chronic conditions receive routine wound care from a certified wound specialist who works in a nursing home or a home health care agency. He or she visits patients on a regular basis to check for new lesions and treat existing wounds. Patients confined to beds or wheelchairs may develop bedsores that are difficult to heal. The nurse dresses and pads sores as needed, and tries to shift patients’ beds to relieve pressure on their wounds.
The title of certified wound specialist is only given to people in the United States who meet the American Academy of Wound Management’s requirements (AAWM). Professionals in the health-care field in other countries can earn credentials from well-respected national certification boards. In order to become certified the AAWM, a person must have at least an associate’s degree in nursing, be a registered nurse, and have at least two years of wound care experience. To become a certified wound specialist, you must join the American Association of Wound Management (AAWM) and pass a comprehensive written exam. A nurse’s credentials are typically maintained attending continuing education classes and passing periodic re-certification tests throughout his or her career.