Wound Care Course Topics

WoundEducators.com aims to offer healthcare professionals the most up to date wound management information at affordable prices. Nearly everyone will experience at least one type of wound in their lifetime, making wound care education is extremely important. Our wound care courses cover a broad spectrum of wounds, wound management practices, and wound products currently available.

Our Largest Organ – The Skin

Our wound care course topics start with the basics: the skin. Every one of our online courses begins with the anatomy of the skin and the layers of the skin. We cover the function of the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis and the roles each play in normal life and the healing process of each when injured.

An integral part of learning about the body’s largest organ is learning about different broad treatment options including corticosteroids, antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and skin surgeries. In the course, you will also learn about different immune modulators and how certain drugs can compromise the immune system.

Aging & Effects on Skin

Our wound care course topics also include learning how your skin changes as you age. Aging brings loss of collagen and degradation of connective tissue, resulting in loss of elasticity. Because of this loss, wounds generally take longer to heal and have a higher chance of scarring as age increases.

Venous Insufficiency Ulcers

Another important wound care course topic is how your arteries and veins affect healing. One common wound culprit you will see in practice is venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency happens when the valves in your veins can no longer control blood flow. Blood will collect in the veins and cause pain, itchiness, swelling, or skin changes. Venous insufficiency ulcers can also form, caused by inadequate blood flow, additional pressure, and lack of oxygen delivery to tissues. Venous insufficiency ulcers are common, and being properly educated to treat them is extremely important. These ulcers are often chronic- up to 48% of venous insufficiency ulcers will reappear within five years(*1)

Pressure Ulcers

Another type of common wound covered in our wound care courses is pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are also known as bedsores or decubitus ulcers. These ulcers will typically develop near a bone, frequently occurring near the hips, ankles, tailbone, and heels. Pressure ulcers are caused by lack of blood flow and mobility. These ulcers vary in severity, and some will never fully heal, requiring constant attention from a certified wound care professional.

Burns

Burns are quite common too, and like pressure ulcers, the severity of burns ranges. First-degree burns, second-degree burns, and third-degree burns are all covered in our wound care course topics. Safety, prevention, and all available treatment options will be discussed in the course.

Lymphedema

You will study the four stages of lymphedema in our wound care courses. Lymphedema is a condition of localized swelling. It can be caused by cancer treatments, problems with the lymphatic system, or a parasitic infection. Tissues affected by lymphedema have a high risk for infection, making this another essential subject covered in our wound care course topics.

Diabetes & Wounds

Diabetes is a common disease in the US; roughly 29 million people have diabetes. Perhaps you will be surprised to find that diabetes may also cause other severe wounds, including diabetic ulcers and arterial disease. These wounds caused by diabetes are often severe- more than 80,000 amputations are performed each year on diabetic patients in the United States. Diabetic ulcers place a huge strain on the healthcare system despite recent medical advancement and treatment. Diabetes can also cause arterial disease, which is a circulation problem where narrowed blood vessels reduce blood flow to the limbs. Becoming wound care certified will ensure you know how to properly treat wounds caused by diabetes.

Wound Care Focuses

Our wound management courses cover all critical wound types discussed above and other less common wounds. Also included in each course are available treatment options and knowledge of wound care sub-categories including nutrition, wound care products, successful wound studies, and patient-focused outcomes.

We believe that preparation and education will produce better outcomes in our industry. We include evidence-based wound care practices in every one of our courses. Becoming wound care certified will contribute to the acceleration of wound care competency across the nation. Every certified wound care professional plays a part in improving the nation’s level of patient care and working to reduce healthcare costs.

Resources:
(*1) Brem H, Kirsner RS, Falanga V (2004). “Protocol for the successful non-surgical treatment of venous ulcers”. Am. J. Surg. 188 (1A Suppl): 1–8.