A new district nursing model improves venous leg ulcer healing rates

Abstract

Background The predominant aetiology of lower leg ulcers (VLU) are caused by venous insufficiency. In 2016 a new district nursing model was introduced using nurses specialising in leg ulcer assessment and management. The specialist nurses provided district nurse education on leg ulcers and conducted vascular assessments to identify venous ulcer aetiology, enabling early compression therapy to increase healing rates and prevent wound chronicity. Method A retrospective electronic chart audit was conducted to determine if the new model diagnosed and treated VLUs earlier. All newly presenting lower leg wounds entering the service over a period of 7 months were reviewed, with healing rates studied up to 24 weeks. Results Healing rates of all lower leg wounds were 84% with an average heal time of 9.7 weeks. The time to heal for recurrent ulcers was the same as new wound presentations. Of interest, Māori and Pacific Island (Pasifika) patients ulcerated at a younger age compared to European patients. Conclusion A nurse-led model facilitated early diagnosis and treatment of VLUs to reduce healing time. The correlation of Māori and Pasifika patients presenting younger with leg ulcers necessitates further research to determine if there is an ethnicity causation factor in these populations.