Alicante General Hospital Increases Chronic Wound Activity by 50%, Reaching 450 Patients Annually

Chronic Wound Unit at Doctor Balmis General University Hospital has increased its activity by 50% over the past five years, moving from attending around 300 patients annually to nearly 450 individuals with complex skin lesions. Approximately half of these patients are referred from Primary Care, while the other half come from various hospital services.

This specialised Nursing device in the field of complex wounds began its activity in 2013 and was one of the first of its kind created in the province of Alicante. Since then, it has been working in coordination with numerous hospital services and units, establishing itself as a reference in the care of these injuries.

According to Isabel de Castro, head of the Chronic Wound Unit and Nursing Supervisor of Otolaryngology and the Short Stay Unit (SSU), "chronic wounds are tissue injuries whose healing process is abnormally prolonged. It is a multifactorial problem that poses a significant public health challenge, as it decreases the quality of life for those who suffer from them, causing pain, limitations, and even social isolation."

They encompass a wide range of injuries, depending on the causative agent, such as pressure ulcers, moisture lesions, post-surgical wounds, tumours, burns, venous ulcers, neuropathic ulcers, etc.

Among the most common are pressure ulcers, "which usually affect older, bedridden, or dependent individuals, although they can also appear in young people with mobility limitations, such as patients with paraplegia or tetraplegia," adds the wound consultant nurse.

In this regard, "three years ago, the role of wound reference was created in all health centres, which has allowed for standardised care and facilitated patient referrals from Primary Care. This year, the role of the reference nurse in outpatient consultations has also been incorporated in those services with a higher volume of patients with wounds, such as Breast Pathology, Dermatology, Adult and Paediatric Trauma, General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Urology, among others," details De Castro.

Doctor Balmis Hospital recently organised the 'I Provincial Conference on Comprehensive Treatment of Skin Lesions'. An event that aims to provide a common training space at the provincial level around comprehensive skin care, as well as to showcase the experience and research work carried out by the Nursing staff in this Department to all professionals in the province of Alicante, in a context of recent additions to the Nursing staff.

During the conference, "we presented complex cases attended both in the Unit and in Primary Care and outpatient consultations. The referral procedure was also discussed, a key aspect as it shortens patient waiting times and improves their quality of life. Ultimately, we wanted to highlight such a prevalent issue, continue training, and learn from shared experiences," concludes De Castro.

Additionally, nurses Yolanda Buades and Esperanza Posadas received the award for best communication, and nurse Mª Paz Chinchilla won the award for best poster.