Palliative wound care management strategies for palliative patients and their circles of care

Abstract

The principles of palliative wound care should be integrated along the continuum of wound care to address the whole person care needs of palliative patients and their circles of care, which includes members of the patient unit including family, significant others, caregivers, and other healthcare professionals that may be external to the current interprofessional team. Palliative patients often present with chronic debilitating diseases, advanced diseases associated with major organ failure (renal, hepatic, pulmonary, or cardiac), profound dementia, complex psychosocial issues, diminished self-care abilities, and challenging wound-related symptoms. This article introduces key concepts and strategies for palliative wound care that are essential for interprofessional team members to incorporate in clinical practice when caring for palliative patients with wounds and their circles of care.